WORLD SCENE IN AN OPEN LETTER to the International Press institute, Greek publisher Mrs. Helen Viachos said, “don’t stop asking why the Greek Government is not keeping its pro- mises.” Mrs. Vianchos is under house arrest in Greece, be- cause she refused to print her paper under censorship, and refused to stop criticism of the fascist military regime. She appealed to the international press media: “Don’t stop. Don’t believe for a moment that what the foreign press writes leave the colonels cool and undisturbed, that they don’t care. They care desperately. They publish with grateful delight the smallest crumbs of flattery . . .” seeking to justify their coup against democracy. THE GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC is willing to dis- cuss anything with the West German government, said State Council Chairman Walter Ulbricht, speaking at meet- ings celebrating the 18th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. Premier Stoph of the GDR said the real reason why Chancellor Kiesinger was unwilling to meet him was West Germany's worn-out claim to represent all Germans. Stoph warned of the danger in Kiesinger’s continuation of his predecessor's policy of returning to the 1937 borders of Hitler Germany. INDIA'’S PREMIER, MRS. GANDHI, made a stop in Moscow for talks with Soviet Premier Kosygin before flying to Warsaw to begin her tour of east Europe and the Middle East. They discussed the current state of the Tashkent Peace Agreement signed by India and Pakistan in January, 1966. A FIGHT BROKE OUT between London dockworkers and crew members of the Chinese ship Hangchow, when a Chinese sailor attempted to pin a picture of Mao Tse-tung on one of the dockers. When the docker threw it on the _ ground, he was attacked by several other Chinese. The ship was later put on the “blacklist” by dockers and they refused to work on it. The Chinese Charge d’Affaire’s office in London complainéd in a note to the Foreign office that the incident was a serious political provocation, but the foreign office reply said the Chinese account of the incident was inaccurate. THE WAR DEAD OF VIETNAM will be remembered in a two-minute silence in Trafalgar Square, London, England on November 11, during a meeting held by the Fellowship of Reconciliation, an influential Christian peace organiza- tion. They won rights to use the square over bids by two other groups including pro-Smith Rhodesia Rally. The Fel- lowship opposes Mr. Smith. Gerald Gotting, Deputy German Democratic Republic State Council Chairman and Chairman of the GDR Committee for the preparation of Reformation celebrations and Hans Seiewasser, GDR State Secretary for Church Affairs, recently visited the Martin Luther Memorial in Eisleben, which is being restored at present. In the back- ground is the Luther statue and the Town Hall. October, 27. 1967--PACIFIC TRIBUNE—P WUVEAVS ACs Ceti ee age 8 ..... a4 - eet pede eee 2aneee: EDUCATION IN POLAND ‘Bring students closer to life By GEORGE LAMBERT Tribune Staff Correspondent N HIS address to the Polish parliament, President de- Gaulle expressed satisfaction at seeing ‘Poland rebuilt, spe- cially its movingly beautiful capital. After destruction throughout Poland,” the general continued, “I see that she now has mines with a vast output, a powerful and modern industry, an agriculture that keeps on im- improving, roads, harbors and airports that are in full develop- ment; schools and universities filled with youth whose ambition is progress.” Having already dealt with some of these aspects, I thought it would be a good idea to de- vote an article to education in Poland, one of the truly big achievements of people’s govern- ment, of socialist democracy. Here are some figures to prove that the headline is no exaggera- tion. Out of a population of 32 million, 814 million are attending school this year, and this does not include the hundreds of thousands, no, millions, who are taking all sorts of courses. A breakdown of the total figure shows the following enrollment: day schools — elementary — 5,- 757,000; secondary (general edu- cation) — 316,000; technical and vocational — 1,300,000; univer- sity level — 170,000; evening schools, external studies and correspondence courses for working people: elementary — 192,000; secondary — 134,000; vocational — 332,000; university level — 94,000. Just one more figure — during the last acade- mic year there were 62 univer- sity students per 10,000 inhabi- tants, compared with 14 in 1939. e The school year 1967-68 is witnessing the introduction of an educational reform in all types of secondary schools. It was started last year with the change of the 7-year elementary school to 8 years, making this period one of compulsory edu- cation, im other words, up to 15 years of age for those who com- plete their elementary education (at seven a child enters the first grade; preceding that there is pre-school education all’the way from 3 years of age and nur- series from 3 months to 3 years) and up to 16 for those who have not finished primary schooling. The additional year, which means that elementary and secondary-school education now lasts 12 years, makes it possible to expand the curriculum: and to introduce other vital changes. “The principal aim of the re- form,” I was told at the Minis- try of Education, “is to promote intellectual self-dependence, to bring out the students’ talents and inclinations, to update edu- cation, to bring the students closer to life. This, of course, is a tall order, but it is being tackled after a long discussion in the press and elsewhere. e As far as the general secon- dary school is concerned, con- trary to the opinion of some educators, it is to have the same curriculum for all sudents. How- ever, in the last year, that is, when the student is 18 and has an idea what he wants, 5 semi- nar groups will be formed (liberal arts, mathematics- physics, chemistry-biology, geography-economics, and lan- guages) that will hold seminars four hours a week. This will not only give the student the possi- bility to make his final choice (aay PSC LAT ATSE SESS eh ee E's’ MAMAN SSTORE UC Co Pana ae but will also prepare him for the university methods of studying. Moreover, there is to be an im- provement in the technical edu- cation given to students three hours a week, for instance, ste- nography, typing, home econo- mics will be introduced for girls —practical subjects. There are also changes in col- leges and universities. Some sub- jects are being thrown out, others added, and in some cases structural changes are being in- troduced. For instance, in jour- nalism the regular course has been abolished and instead there is a 2-year course for those who have an M.A. or M.Sc. in some other subject. The concept here is that no journalist can cover all fields, that he must special- ize. The same has happened in the course for librarians. On the other’ hand, narrow specializa- tion is being eliminated in the sciences — where faculties had been broken up into countless chairs (some of them monopo- lizing expensive equipment that could be used by others) the lat- ter will be combined to form in- stitutes. It is obvious that re- search is best served by broad collaboration rather than by nar- row specialization. All this is still in the experimental stage, with one of the universities, in Wroclaw, being the testing ground. Another interesting as- pect still under discussion is what’s called here ‘“humaniza- tion? of technical studies, that is, the introduction of such sub- jects: as philosophy, sociology, political science at institutes of technology. e All schooling in Poland, ele- mentary, secondary and univer- sity-level, is of course free of charge. In addition there are scholarships amounting to sever- al{ hundred zlotys a month re- ceived by 47 percent of the uni- versity students, dormitories used by 45 percent of the stu- dents, and canteens where meals are served at reduced rates. Uni- versity students are entitled to free medical service. True, the amount of money that goes with a’ scholarship is not very high, but it helps the student to get along. I should add that there are also scholarships for pro- mising secondary schools (gene- ral and vocational) students liv- ing away from home, received by 291,000, and dormitories for nearly 250,000 plus private lodg- ings used by 90,000. And more dormitories are being built both by the state and from voll contributions, the latter the successful completion “dil campaign, in 1966, to b 4 thousand schools to marr thousandth anniversaty % Polish state. Everyon€ in and lovely Millet Schools, as they are © to be seen all over thé © ° 4 There are special schom the blind, for children wi sight, for the deaf and with poor hearing, 4% mentally retarded, CH ill, or physically hand children. Over 70,008 such schools. A really tremendous Yi been done in Polan@ everyone access to © compulsory elementaly tion; compulsory educa to 18 years of age in etl! new measure to this gr recently been passed DY vet ernment); 80 percent % iii tary-school graduates secondary school oF school, thus a similar Pp can be said to receive 10 years’ schooling; 5¢ ; for a big proportion of s€ (general and vocation university-level student® el versities and college oul iently spread through i country. And, one M0 ii ji by 1970 half a million tio q graduated from instill (2g) higher learning since ee powerful factor for oC ment and progress. _ Subscribe| NOW! The new Soviet ™ everybody's talking © a m Articles condensed ee leading Soviet pape!® o¢ zines in easy-to-reg onthly i pout i Subscribe yourself of sen Subscription to 4 ef Y 5 AY REGULAR PRICE - § Now . $40. am lL gett | Progress Subscription w, | 487 Adelaide 3 Toronto THE SOWER —Horocie .