THE EDITOR, Sir:
MUCH IS being written about the poor standard of education of many of the graduates of schools now, so I would like to state my opinion. I think one of the causes is the present system of promoting children automatically and not by merit.
Sixty or so years ago, when I was a pupil, promotion was not done until a child's reading ability was of a good standard and he had mastery of the rudiments of English and Mathematics. If a child cannot do the addition of numbers, how will he be able to do the other operations of numbers?
The introduction of this system of promotion was really a retrograde step, for now many graduates of schools are not literate or numerate although they attended schools for many years. In those long ago days, many primary schools had classes of sixty pupils to one teacher, but there was such dedication to education, that many teachers had groups within their classes, in order that weak children could be helped, and the brighter ones given work according to their intellectual ability.
I have just heard that there is a proposal to reduce the size of primary school classes to 25 pupils, and that homework should be done under supervision at schools or at libraries. This is not a bad suggestion, but I still feel that the system of promotion of a child should be based on merit in order that a proper foundation can be given.
Regardless of what is done in schools, many parents need to show more interest in their children by monitoring the time that they spend watching television.
I am, etc.,
SARAH SUTHERLAND
