1984 School Magazine

Some employers make similar complaints about lack of preparedness and lack of application against school Ieavers entering the work force. Even the Prime Minister had a go ar the schools (and the universities) in speeches he made to conferences on technology and on computers a few weeks ago when he complained of a lack of computer literacy amongst school leavers of whom there were too many at age15 anyhow. There is no question that the education system is under attack for going soft and for being out of date. A report published earlier this year in the U.S.A. by the National Commission on Excellence in Education which was set up by the Secretary of Education said "Our society and its educational institutions seem to have lost sight of the basic purposes of schooling and of the high expectations and disciplined effort needed to attain them". So, if it is any comfort, we are not the only nation allegedly at risk. I say allegedly because I have serious doubts about the evidence, at least in this country. Society's expectations of its schools - students and teachers both - were always high. Now they are nearly impossible. Students are expected to ignore the values exemplified in much of the adult behaviour in society outside the school and to continue to work hard for a future that is uncertain. Teachers are expected to keep being as engrossing in both content and relevance as the latest television documentary. It has always been true that when things start to go wrong in society, it is easy for it to turn on the schools and blame them. I would ask you not to use that well known fact from the history of education as an excuse for shrugging off the criticisms being made of you regardless of how ill-informed they may seem to be. Just as it is easy for society to blame the schools, so it is easy for each school, community or family to believe that the criticism is not applicable to their school but it could be to the school down the way. There is as much danger in this approach as there is in permitting ill- informed criticism to be made in public, without attempting to correct it. It can be made to appear as if one section of the education system is indifferent to the reputation and fate of another. When we do that, the public is entitled to take notice because we are in the system and taken to be experts in judging such matters. Much of this derives f rom the ways in which we are funded by governments. lt is not my intention to open up the State aid issue at this point or to lament the underfunding of my own university which has gone on for the last decade. And of course I am not talking here of official statements made on behalf of educational organisations by their recognised leaders. I am talking of the chit-chat that goes on at social gatherings when another guest learns that you are a teacher or a student or whatever. This is how myths and legends are built which can have a more profound influence on what the public comes to believe of this or that school or of the system as a whole, than official statements. At this stage of our educational 8

development - and it is an interesting and challenging and more caring one - careless talk may cost us dearly, to paraphrase a second world war poster. The education system exists to serve the needs of the learners in society whether they have but one talent or ten, whether they are mature-aged or young, whether they are seeking technical or conceptual skills, whether they are male or female, black or white, rich or poor. Our concern is with the quality of social living and endeavours and not with the support of sectional interests. lf we forget that overriding purpose, society itself will be the loser. May I thank Mrs. Hancock f or giving me the privilege of addressing you this afternoon and in conclusion congratulate most warmly all the prize winners and wish the School continuing success for the future. Dr. M. C. Crassie, M.A., M.Ed.St. And., ph.D., F.A.C.E.

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