Deputies will remember that when this Bill was under discussion the question of the type of education to be given in these schools was considered, and especially the type to be given to pupils between the ages of 14 and 16. I think at that time there was general agreement among all who took part in the debate that there should be nothing in the nature of specialisation during these periods, and that while practical subjects would be undoubtedly taught, and the education given would have a practical bias, the main idea was that the education given in these schools should be of a continuation nature, and in fact the Act does, in Section 3, define continuation education as education to continue and supplement the education provided in the elementary schools, and to include practical and general training. It includes these things, but it is not confined to them. In the course of the debate on 14th May I expressed agreement with that view. I said:—
What is more necessary than anything else is that he should get a sound general education, an education that would enable him to take advantage, not so much of the classes he would attend later on, because that can only be to a limited extent, but of the various treatises, articles, books of all kinds, and lectures that he might read or hear from time to time; the type of education that would enable him to benefit by attendance even at the Spring Show.
I was referring to the rural children. Deputy Tierney adverted to the same aspect of the question more effectively, and the Minister in reply said he agreed with the Deputy. When the measure was going through the Seanad the Minister was more definite. In the Seanad report of the 18th June, column 1592, the Minister is reported as saying:—
Senator Connolly spoke on the question of cultural education. It is not intended to exclude cultural education by any means. In fact, a large portion of the continuation education between fourteen and sixteen will be of a general character, and though it will have a very practical bias, in many respects it will be cultural in character.
That statement should be taken in connection with the memorandum. One part of the memorandum, part 2 dealing with organisation and curricula, has this rather significant statement:—
Vocational schools should have a definite technical trend. The mode of conducting such schools and classes and the methods of instruction employed should differ radically from those of the primary or secondary school. A definite break both as to subject matter and its treatment is needed all through the vocational course. Where subjects of the ordinary school curriculum are included they should be treated with a view to their direct utilisation in employment.
Ordinary members of vocational education committees reading that instruction, and taking it as part of the policy of the Ministry, will be justified in assuming that the policy as regards these schools, even where they provide education for children between the ages of 14 and 16 will be definitely of a technical nature, and that education of the general type given in the primary and secondary schools will be taboo. That is the general impression one would get, and that an ordinary member of the vocational committee would get, in reading that particular paragraph. I think it is necessary it should be made perfectly plain that it was not the intention of the Minister, or of this House when it passed the Act, that there should be such a definite movement from the type of education given in the primary or secondary schools, that in fact, as the Act says, it should be a continuation and supplementing of the education given in these schools, and that it should not be assumed general education of a cultural kind, including such subjects as come generally under the heading of cultural education, should be excluded or even pushed into a secondary place.
I think the general effect of these instructions will be that that will happen, because in these instructions issued to the trades preparatory schools special attention is drawn to the type. of education it is intended should be given. I think it is contrary to all ideals that children of the early age of 14 should have their education so directed as seems to be set out in the instructions issued from the Department. I am sure the Minister knows that the issue of these instructions has given rise to a great deal of criticism and comment. I asked the Minister a question in regard to this matter yesterday, and his reply, while fairly elaborate, did not entirely clear up the doubt I had in my mind about the matter. He says:—
The memorandum referred to is not a general statement of policy by my Department in regard to the nature of the education which is suitable for children between the ages of 14 and 16.