By Bob Dey, Critic

The Auckland delegation at the Education Commission of Winter Council opened a new era in NZUSA with the presentation of a model education system.

But the other delegates did not enthuse to the same degree as the Aucklanders did at the plan.

A motion was accepted "That each constituent prepare a critique of, and additions to. AUSA's education policy draft and OUSA's paper "Some Thoughts for Discussion on NZUSA's Education Policy" and forward them to the education vice-president, who shall present the ideas in a form suitable for discussion as national policy, to the March seminar."

The Auckland plan was set out in four phases of educational development for the individual.

All children would pass through the first two phases as they do now: primary school and post-primary school.

The third phase would be the terminal point, where students branched out into the different sections of educational institutes, with the community college as the starting point.

They could then go to the university area, which would include teachers' colleges, or to the technical and techological area, at the polytechnic.

In the preamble to the plan, Auckland said: "We believe that the present education system is suffering from bureaucratic overkill and, coupled with the fact that repeatedly it is the whipping-boy of politics, is at present in more than a critical position."