A—4

Radio One of the greatest educational handicaps is the parochialism engendered by ignorance and village conservatism. The introduction of a broadcasting system at the beginning of 1948 marks a tremendous step forward in the removal of this educational obstacle and serves, in addition, the valuable purpose of augmenting the direct instruction in the village schools. The Education Department has been allocated an hour a day on the air. Having regard to the place of the lessons in the time-table, the fatigue element in the children, and other educational factors, it was decided to fix 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. each school day as the period for the session. Lessons decided upon were aimed primarily at filling the gaps in the general curriculum created by the lack of training and limited background and ability of Samoan teachers. The session therefore includes social studies, general science, health, safety first, and English language for primer and standard class groups. The session is a valuable asset to the work of the Department, and already in the short time since its inception has proved a notable stimulus to education. From a questionnaire sent out to teachers after a month's experience of the lessons, it is evident that interest is not confined to the children, but spreads to the village people, who listen in as well. Film Units The portable moving-picture unit, which comprises a projector and generator and the smaller portable film-strip projectors, continue to function satisfactorily. The former is limited in use to where transport is available, since it is too heavy to be carried by hand, but the various film-strip projectors in the hands of the Inspectors and the two men appointed for the work travel steadily round all villages. Since showings are given at night, the whole village usually attends, and reports are unanimous of the appreciation with which they are received. There is one commercial moving-picture theatre situated in Apia. Libraries Library facilities throughout Samoa are very limited. Apart from the Bible and a few Biblical works, no general literature has been translated into the vernacular and made available for circulation among the Samoans. There are small libraries connected with various local societies, but these are composed of books written mainly in the English language. Many Europeans subscribe to overseas book clubs or associations. One of the problems facing educational authorities is therefore the lack of a supply of suitable material with which to augment the more formal side of education. To supply the schools with reading-material in the vernacular, the New Zealand Government commenced in July, 1947, to print School Journals in Samoan and to distribute them free of cost to children attending both Government and mission schools. At the same time a grant of £2,000 was made available for the purchase of books for the nucleus of a general school library. The books are at present housed in the central education block in Apia, where they are readily available to the schools there. There are many practical difficulties in circulating them amongst all village schools, but a start has been made with selected schools where it is more practicable. Through gradual expansion of the scheme, and as the communications policy advances, it is hoped that all village schools will eventually benefit. Teachers from these selected schools travel in to obtain their books, as, owing to transport difficulties, a travelling library is impracticable at the moment. Samoan Culture Every attempt has been made to foster in the schools the various aspects of Samoan culture. The physical-training lessons provide opportunities for practice in dancing and rhythmic work; periodical breaks between lessons are used for singing,

47