Pam Green opened by saying that education is a life-long process and involves parents as well as teachers. Extension of schooling is needed to obtain and effectively carry out a job, but also because insufficient jobs are available. Staying on could perhaps provide extra discipline.
Size of classes is important today because effort is required to maintain discipline; and some flexible streaming is necessary a least in some subjects to cope with those needing remedial teaching and to foster the highly intelligent.
in many subjects higher standards are today required. In some areas parental interest is low, but in others the expectancies of parents causes stress. Today's children are in general as bright as in our time. lt was suggested that in England specialisation was too early. Money was lost in vandalism and parents should be fined. The level of teachers was more important than the equipment; and the low level of the post-war teachers was beginning to improve. in the teaching of sex education the need for love and responsibility and self-discipline is as important as physical knowledge, and this stemmed primarily from the parents.
The country had to balance the needs of health services etc. but education was a core need to provide the necessary wealth. Nursery schools are especially important in deprived areas - and Hull run some good ones.
Religion should emphasize care values and the understanding of other faiths, as well as Christian. ln the developing world over-expectations (from the media etc.) give rise to envy and unrest, but we must have faith that in the long run education serves a positive purpose.
DAVID STRACHAN
Adrian Worsfold
Pluralist - Liberal and Thoughtful