‘Pidgin’

Important Step In

Native Education

Official Move to[?] ‘Pidgin’

AT long last, the Administrat) of Papua and New Guineas taking an official stand in lation to the use of Pidgin EnglJ (See article on page xx of t issue).

The Advisory Committee Languages, appointed by the Edu tion Advisory Board, met in E Moresby on February 14 and read some important conclusions.

It was asked to make recc mendations on what should be language of instruction in na, schools, and on the f ormation. a basic spelling system for langua employed in the Territory. Ot: allied subjects presented for c: sideration included methods teaching in the vernacular; methi of teaching English; the most st able media of instruction in Dual Territory; the preparation vernacular primers and simj material.

A considerable quantity material bearing on these speec had been prepared by the Deps ment of Education and was broui before the Advisory Commit: which comprised: Chairman, Director of Educat: Mr. W. C. Groves; Mrs. M. R; Unevangelised Fields Mission, L Kutubu; Mrs. H. S. Draper, At tralian Baptist Foreign Miss:.

Lumi; Mrs. E. F. Wilson, Method Mission, Mendi; Rev. L. Luzbel Catholic Mission, Banz; Rev.

Heist, Lutheran Mission, Lae.

The recommendations of the Co mittee include the following: Pidgin English should be tau in all areas in the Dual Territt were English is not known. For i purpose Pidgin English must adopted officially, as its abolit. is impractical.

Instruction books, incl u d ii standard grammar and dictionj should be prepared, printed and < tributed as soon as possible.

A formal statement read: “We regard the teaching of E; lish as an educational objective the highest importance. Liter;' either in a vernacular or in Pidf should be regarded as a prelimirr to literacy in English, and noti a substitute.”

It is reported that the Administ; tion is generally in favour of th recommendations. t In a by-election occasioned by recent death of M. Albert Leboucc his son (M. Georges LeboucW was elected to the Assemblee T] toriale of French Oceania, in H ruary. The voting was Lebouo 1,568, Taura 1303, and Lorfevre