Personal Needs

"As far as personal needs are concerned the individual will have to be educated to a level where he is able to take his place in a society in which the persuasive element will be rapid, and often confusing, change."

The model expects the individual would need a reasonably high level of general education on to which a high-level occupational or technical skill could be grafted.

"Flexibility and adaptability in the vocational situation must be an integral feature of the educative process," the report said.

It had been appreciated in the Auckland proposal that this model need not have any absolute validity, "but we also feel that to develop a planned programme for education, and an education department, in New Zealand, we must have a model to which we can relate the present system."

Within the broad spectrum of the four phases of the proposed education model, AUSA has defined certain objects and specific uses to which each phase would be directed.

In phase one, the model would have present primary and pre-primary schools integrated.

The second phase would cater for those at present in intermediate schools to the fifth form level.

This proposal would include a curriculum "completely devoid of the present unhealthy 'examination syndrome'." At this level, emphasis would be completely on the development of the general education of the individual.

Phase three would start with the community college and what is at present the polytechnic or technical institute.

The first year at the community collge would be compulsory, with the first terminal point at that stage.

Such colleges could be developed in the smaller population centres to provide a focus for community education.

"We would envisage that these colleges would also provide much wider adult education and vocational retraining programmes in both the larger and smaller population centres." the report said.

Students would be prepared at this stage for subsequent progression to higher levels and there would be provision for individual differences, such as acceleration of gifted students.

The technical institute would continue to function as the provider of technical skills at both the present trade and technician levels.

"There would need to be 'considerable liaison between the technical institutes and the community colleges," the report said.

This would ensure minimum duplication of courses and optimum utilisation of resources.