Provision for elementary education in private schools and in those established by the Provincial Councils was concerned chiefly with the three R's, nor did the Education Act of 1877 consider necessary the introduction of agriculture into a national system. Under regulations, however, and on the recommendation of the Otago Educational Institute, an elementary science syllabus was gazetted embracing “some elementary chemistry, elementary mechanics, and elementary physiology … to illustrate laws of health, the structure and operation of the simpler processes of agriculture …”

Agricultural and pastoral associations up and down the country, which by 1892 had organised an annual conference on a colonial basis, kept on pressing for elementary instruction in agriculture, mainly because of the simple faith that farmers — or some farmers — had in agricultural science and in the ‘scientific farming’ that it heralded. Said one such, in 1902: “A lot of boys who have passed all the standards are not able to answer correctly many questions asked by an ordinary farmer who has not passed any standard at all …”

Not much, however, was done last century in teaching agriculture in schools, partly because of a lack of trained teachers, and partly because the majority of children completed their education at the primary school stage.

Nevertheless, the advocates of reform persisted and by 1910, thanks in large part to the enthusiastic interest of George Hogben, the Inspector-General of Schools, education boards were beginning to appoint itinerant agricultural instructors — by 1920 there were 20 – and much inspiration was given to the pupils, especially those in district high schools. With this went the creation of school gardens, and the formation of boys' and girls' agricultural clubs.

Such activity was in line with the report of the Mark Cohen Commission (1912) which recommended that every effort should be made to create and foster in the child a lively interest in his environment, and to direct his attention to the land and its products.

The general policy thus enunciated was also regularly advocated by conferences of agricultural and pastoral associations, and by the Board of Agriculture and the Council of Education (established 1913 and both now defunct); but the chief brake on progress was still the lack of trained teachers.

The Atmore Report (1930) may be regarded as expressing public opinion of the time in its principal recommendation that “the curriculum of our public schools must include adequate practical instruction in agriculture”. But with the depression of the early thirties and the defeat of the Government in which Atmore was Minister of Education, no great changes in administrative action took place till 1946, when the primary school syllabus that had been in use since 1929 came under complete revision. The policy then adopted and still followed is expressed in the evidence submitted to the Consultative Committee on Agricultural Education (1958) by the Chief Inspector of Primary Schools: “The schools are concerned to teach agriculture on a broad basis through the subjects of nature study and social studies. Nature study aims to foster an interest in all living things, and to study farming in its broadest aspects…. Apart from nature study instruction there is a strong farm theme running through the social studies syllabus”.

In accordance with this policy the appointment of agricultural instructors by education boards has been abandoned, their place being taken by nature study specialists.