CHAPTER 5 - Technical and Adult Education

Abstract

This chapter discusses the pattern of technical education in Australia. At present, attention is being given to the function and development of technical education. Technical education has been strangely neglected in public and popular thinking about education generally. Technical education has been a matter for the States. There is much force in the arguments for allowing the larger and more important technical colleges to continue their growth within the State departments. The Martin Committee suggested that recreational, trade and most certificate courses should be separated from those concerned with general education and the technologies. The chapter discusses the development of adult education in Australia. It might be argued that adult education is likely to have more depth and solidity if it is anchored to strong educational institutions whether they are universities or of some other type. For this reason, councils of adult education, which are set up by governments with the exclusive function of spreading education and culture throughout the adult population, are not promising innovations.