The Beeby-Fraser ideal: is it time to abandon it?

Authors

  • John O'Neill Massey University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26686/pq.v19i3.8306

Keywords:

inclusive education, Beeby, Fraser, Tomorrow’s Schools, social justice

Abstract

In 1939, C.E. Beeby, the director of education, alongside the minister of education, Peter Fraser, made a statement that has endured in New Zealand educational folklore: that ‘all persons, whatever their ability, rich or poor, whether they live in town or country, have a right as citizens to a free education of the kind for which they are best fitted and to the fullest extent of their powers’. This has underpinned aspirational visions of inclusive and egalitarian education in the past 80 years, but to what extent has this vision been realised, and is it still worthy of being an inspirational call to action? In this article, this statement call for a socially just education system is revisited, especially in light of the review of Tomorrow’s Schools (2018–19).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

John O'Neill, Massey University

John O’Neill is Professor of Teacher Education at Massey University. His research interests include the relationships between education policy and teachers’ work and learning.

Downloads

Published

2023-08-09

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2023): Policy Quarterly

Section

Articles

License

Permission: In the interest of promoting debate and wider dissemination, the IGPS encourages use of all or part of the articles appearing in PQ, where there is no element of commercial gain. Appropriate acknowledgement of both author and source should be made in all cases. The IGPS retains copyright. Please direct requests for permission to reprint articles from this publication to igps@vuw.ac.nz.