What relationship should there be between Wellington Teachers' College and Victoria University?

What is the use of a degree to a Primary school teacher, or a kindergarten teacher?

These are some of the questions being discussed by various joint committees of university and teachers' college people at the present time. A joint report has been produced that strongly supports increased "cooperation" between the two bodies in the teacher training process. Basically, it supports a degree-based course. This is a very alarming move which brings up several important issues that must be considered.

Firstly, a teachers college has a purpose to fulfill, that is to supply a teacher with the necessary vocational skills for a classroom. This is a different function from training other groups, and a totally different purpose from the academic orientation of university.