Salient. An organ of student opinion at Victoria University, Wellington. Vol. 23, No. 9. Wednesday, November 9, 1960
Effect On University Life
Effect On University Life
Now the higher education will have an obvious effect on University life. The student at 18 will be far better equipped both mentally and in ability to cope with the way of University education. Being well versed in its ways and pampered by pseudo-adult offerings during school life, the new University student at 18 will be less inclined to gamble about enjoying new found freedom. And dress eccentricities will be minimized.
Now some will argue that raising the school leaving age will have a detrimental effect on the apprenticeship system at present in vogue. But this of course is due for revision anyway. The State, or private enterprise at least, would be well advised to establish trade training schools. Here with modern equipment and competent (well paid) instructors high standards of technical trade training could be achieved, and the use of boy apprentices as cheap labour would become an exploitation of the past. The period of apprenticeship would be reduced to a period of not more than two years, and would be a period where the ex-pupil gains practical experience at applying technical know-how. The employer would reap the advantage of knowing the aptitude and ability of the boy he has hired and have, more quickly than before, a really capable and experienced employee. This system in principle is being effectively applied to pharmacy trainees.
The boy leaving school and going into an apprenticeship would be the equivalent of the present day matriculation student and their place in society would be equal. Thus there would be more incentive for boys to take up trades and therefore more skilled workers.
As the age of mechanisation sweeps down on us, the need for a higher education and technical trade training is not only imperative for the survival of society, it is imperative for the individual.
Anyway it seems to me that the raising of the school leaving age is imperative whatever way you look at it.