ZIMBABWE SINKING

Southern Africa is of vital importance strategically to the Western world. But the revelation from the U.S.A. that the new Secretary of State Haig's deputy, Mr. William Clark, could not even guess at the names of the Prime Ministers of Zimbabwe and South Africa, provides further frightening evidence of how little many top American policy makers know about foreign affairs. Haig was "discovered" by Dr. Henry Kissinger and is a member of the notorious Council on Foreign Relations.
Those who expected that the Reagan Administration would adopt a much more realistic attitude towards South Africa, are going to be disappointed.

There is disturbing evidence that U.S.A. policy will become increasingly anti-South Africa. This policy has the enthusiastic support of the Fraser Administration, which is so petty that it refuses to permit QANTAS to renew flying on the highly profitable Indian ocean route, and will not grant South African Airways the right to more flights to cater for the growing volume of traffic. Absurd statements from Canberra claim that the government's reason for not permitting Qantas flights into South Africa is to preserve Australia's "anti-racist image". European nations, including Britain, who permit flights into South Africa, presumably are not much concerned about the type of shallow moralising for which Prime Minister Fraser has become noted.

We have not noticed Mr. Fraser expressing any concern about developments in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) where there has been a heavy death toll in the latest tribal conflict, some whites also being victims of guerrilla terrorist activities. First hand reports reaching us give a gloomy picture of a deteriorating economy and a growing exodus of desperate whites. Some shopkeepers claim that they had better stocks when Rhodesia was operating under international sanctions.

That brave Christian soldier, the Rev. Father Arthur Lewis, now a refugee from the Rhodesia he served faithfully for many long years, has recently written from South Africa that it is unrealistic to talk now about regenerating a Rhodesia which has, at least for some time to come, been completely destroyed. But, Father Lewis says, the lessons of the Rhodesian betrayal should be kept alive in an attempt to prevent further such betrayals. The Frasers of the Western world have much to answer for.

BIG BROTHER THREATENS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

Canaan College is non-denominational, co-educational college for Christian education situated in northeastern Victoria (approx. 20 miles from Benalla). Its founder and Principal is Mr. Barry Tattersall, B. Sc., Dip.Ed. M.A.C.E. Canaan College is now right in the news because of a half page article published in the Melbourne mass circulation daily - The Sun (Feb. 14th)

The primary school of Canaan College has never been granted registration by the Council of Public Education, and the secondary school has now been de-registered by the Council, after gaining registration in 1977. This means that Government funding has now been cut off! No money from the Victorian Government to help operate the College. The subversives in the Victorian Education Department will be rubbing their hands with delight.

The Committee to Raise Educational Standards has issued a News Release on the de-registration of the College, and we are very pleased to quote from that, as this is such an important issue: "....Mr. Barry Tattersall, Principal of Canaan College, said yesterday that there were two main reasons for the cancellation of the registration and these revolved around staffing and instruction programme. "The programme being used at Canaan College was considered to be "distorting the learning process in a quite unsatisfactory way as to over emphasise content, knowledge, facts and literary correctness. Tattersall said that these aspects had always been among the prime objectives of the classroom-teaching programme at Canaan and would always remain so. His aim was to ensure that students were literate and numerate by the time they left the College. "We place great emphasis on reading, writing, calculation, grammar, punctuation, and spelling", he said. "Students are not permitted to go on with elective and other activities until all their daily targets are achieved in these basic areas."

"Another part of the programme which is being criticised is the Christian emphasis which Canaan places upon all of its activities. The (Education Dept.) inspectors claim that the material that is being used has 'a too narrow bias in its value stance'. They said that if other than Christian interpretations (our emphasis) of scientific and societal events were not a part of the learning programme, then the education provided would be 'totally inappropriate for young people entering a complex, technological world in the latter part of the 20th century.'

"It seems to me", said Mr. Tattersall, "that the community is crying out for children who can read and write, and who are well behaved and well disciplined. We have a total school programme which emphasises the basic three R's and at the same time highlights the absolute standards of honesty, truth, and immorality that the Bible teaches". Because of these emphases, our programme is seen to be too narrow and not worthy of registration in Victoria (no Government money!) It grieves me to feel that a school which is providing the very things that the community is crying out for, is being refused permission to operate by the Government (of Victoria), which is supposedly elected to carry out the wishes of that community.' "I believe that every parent has the right to decide on the method and content of the education of their children. It is a basic Scriptural right, a right promoted by the United Nations through the international Year of the Child, and a right espoused by our own Minister of Education (our emphasis, and actionists please note!) "Parents have deliberately chosen what we are offering. The choice is now being taken from them by the Government bureaucracy" he said.

"The fact that the staffing of the school is considered to be unsatisfactory produces another dilemma. Canaan College uses parents in many areas of its extra curriculum programme and in assistance given to the registered teachers. Mr. Tattersall believes that it is the parents' responsibility to educate their children and he uses them in as many different areas of the school programme as they have interest and skills. "Although we have registered teachers supervising the whole programme, and being particularly responsible for the academic part of it, 'unqualified' parents are used to assist these registered teachers and to provide instruction and experience in their areas of interest and expertise. Parents who have skills in arts, crafts, cooking, music, mechanics, farming and the like are used to pass on their enthusiasms and knowledge to the students in these areas."

"It seems odd to me", says Mr. Tattersall, "that at a time when parental involvement in education is being encouraged by the Government in Government schools, that a non-government school, which has had this principle in operation since it began, is being outlawed because of it".

Mr. Tattersall also revealed that over the years that Canaan had been operating, it has enrolled children at the school whose fees have been paid, or supplemented by other Departments of our Victorian Government. Various Government Departments and agencies have assessed that Canaan's environment, atmosphere and educational programme were the best that could be provided for the children in their care. "It seems ludicrous", said Mr. Tattersall, "that whilst one Government Department is providing us with children and paying for, or subsidising their fees, another Government Department is telling us that we have not got a good enough programme to warrant remaining registered." "I believe that the whole affair illustrates another area where parents' rights are being usurped and where Governments are over-stepping their areas of responsibility. Christian parents, particularly, need to be warned that their rights and their opportunities for choice are being limited at an increasing rate".

"Mr. Tattersall was adamant that the school would continue operating throughout the year. "God does not bring things into existence to have them destroyed before their ultimate fulfillment', he said."

BRIEF COMMENTS