More Education For
p. 75 · Read in the full issue
Samoans
Idealist’s Programme
From Our Own Correspondent
Apia, Oct. 20.
WITH Samoan song, dance and feasting, Samoa College was officially opened on October 9 by Dr. C. E. Beeby, Director of Education in New Zealand.
The school, when completed, will have cost £130,000, all provided by profits from Samoa Reparation Estates.
The modern tropical building is equipped with every aid to teaching, and is attractively placed in spaci ous grounds in the suburbs of Apia, less than a mile inland from the waterfront.
“I know of no other country where so much educational pro gress has been made in eight years as in Samoa,” said Dr. Beeby, addressing the Assembly. “Eight years ago the highest standard of work here was equal to the NZ Standard I or 11. Now . . . with the exception of English . . . the standard is our 111 or IV.” School buildings being built in the Territory would be a credit to any country.
Disagreeing completely with those who thought the Samoan standard of education was now adequate, Dr.
Beeby stressed that higher educa tion is absolutely essential if Samoa Is going to attain complete self government. There was clearly no money to give every Samoan a higher education; but most chil dren should be educated to Standard IV. Then the brightest pupils should be selected carefully for higher education.
Dr. Beeby recommended: (1) Establishment of compulsory educa tion in stages, and encouragement of boys to remain longer at school; (2) Raising the standard of educa tion of teachers entering the train ing college by catching them earlier and by providing better facilities for their earlier training; (3) Using the facilities of Samoa College (“the hope of Samoa”) to best advantage by carefully select ing the pupils entering; (4) Estab lishment of scholarships for higher education in NZ; (5) Employment of European teachers “as soon as possible” in the district schools, to facilitate better the teaching of English —an essential language if the people are to take their place In the world as a self-governing country; (6) Increased drive to wards the teaching of modern methods of agriculture; (7) Reduc tion in the size of the schools in the Malifa Compound to handle not more than 500 or 600 pupils— anything larger was unwieldy; (8) Primary education in the Samoan language, then the use of English a £ h i g^er J evels .: (9) A programme pf adult education by every means,
including radio broadcasting.