"Reclaiming Public Education" Conference
How does our education system measure up for New Zealand youngsters is the key theme of a conference organised by QPEC
to be held in Palmerston North this coming weekend.
The conference will take a critical look at the quality of our education system; its availability and access for
students; government policies which impact on education and educational outcomes of our students.
The measuring stick we will use is the famous Beeby/Fraser Quote from 1938 which took us through 2 generations of
educational progress to the 1980's -
"The government's objective, broadly expressed, is that all persons, whatever their level of ability, whether they live
in town or country, have a right as citizens to a free education of the kind for which they are best fitted and to the
fullest extent of their powers. So far is this from being a pious platitude that the full acceptance of this principle
will involve the orientation of the whole education system" Clarence Beeby - Director General of Education and Peter
Fraser, Prime Minister - 1938
A cursory look at this quote shows that we are far short of this noble but critical goal for education in the 21st
century.
This conference could well be the most important educational conference of this decade. It will pull no punches in
examining the state of education and specifying an action plan to make the above vision a reality for our children.