The future of New Zealand’s education system has been a hot issue in this year’s General Election campaign with debate
on secondary teacher salaries – but what will education be like in 20 years?
That’s the question to be posed at Victoria University on August 24 when some of New Zealand’s leading educationalists
gather for the 2002 Shallcrass Seminar.
Organised by the Jack Shallcrass Education Trust, it has chosen 2022 – Mr Shallcrass’ centenary year – because it
believes putting that vision into practice can occur within our lifetimes. It is a time when information technology and
‘virtual classrooms’ look set to radically alter the way New Zealanders learn at schools, and tertiary institutions.
Mr Shallcrass, a teacher for more than 55 years, is one of New Zealand’s most distinguished educationalists, receiving a
CBE for his services to education. He is a former Vice-Principal of the Wellington Teachers’ College and Associate
Professor of Education at Victoria. He has chaired four ministerial inquiries and written 12 books and more than 600
articles.
Mr Shallcrass believes it is vital to look beyond the present and think about the future shape of New Zealand’s
education system.
“Unless we can raise our expectations for ourselves, unless we can encourage human talents and qualities to match our
technology, unless we can quicken our imaginations, unless we have some faith in us; then we fail ourselves, our
children and our future.”
The seminar is to be opened by Victoria University Chancellor Rosemary Barrington and will be addressed by five leading
educationalists. They are: Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, of the University of Auckland; Dugald Scott, Principal of the
Wellington College of Education; Rae Duff, Special Adviser at the Wellington College of Education; Professor Paul
Callaghan, the Alan MacDiarmid Chair in Physical Sciences at Victoria University; and Professor Helen May, Head of the
School of Education at Victoria.
The Jack Shallcrass Education Trust was set up in 1988 to mark Mr Shallcrass’ retirement from Victoria and the trustees
make grants to individuals and organisations to support educational activities.
Media are invited to attend the seminar and there will be photo opportunity at 4pm. The venue is Lecture Theatre Two,
Law School, Old Government Buildings, Lambton Quay, Wellington, Saturday August 24, 10am-4.15pm.