Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1950. ACCREDITING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 111, 23 February 1950, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1950. ACCREDITING

Accrediting is the name given to the method of qualifying, for higher education not by means of an external examination set by the higher authority, but through thb recommendation of the principal of the student’s present school. For many years this system has governed transition from primary to post-primary schools, and for the past four years has advanced students from post-pri-mary to university education. The school certificate as the certification of a satisfactory four years’ secondary education has taken the place of “Matriculation,” and a year’s study subsequent to that certificate is the normal additional preparation for students, who of course are'always in the minority, who intend -to' proceed to the university. A consequent broadening and liberalising of the secondary syllabus has resulted, as there is a much wider range of subjects for school certificate than for university entrance. In addition accrediting has given a chance to boys and girls whose qualities are evident to their teachers m their years’ work, but who for one reason or another are not good examinees. To keep in touch with the secondary schools, recommend schools for accrediting status, and generally supervise the working of the new system the university appointed liaison officers, and these officials reported recently to the university senate. As a result of their report the senate set up* a committee ho review the whole question and report to the August meeting. The position revealed by the reports was that 30 per cent, of first year university students fail in everything at the end of the year, but that accrediting is not responsible for this, as the results were substantially the same before the method was in being. The conclusion which is inevitable is that, by examination or accrediting, admittance to the university is still too easy: the most serious result is that first year classes are made unwieldy by the large number who should not be attempting university studies, or at best are undertaking them too soon. It is noteworthy in this connection that students vtfio have spent an 'extra year at secondary school generally show the benefit when ,they proceed to university studies.

This year the entrance examination conditions have been changed. Up till November, 1949, a university entrance pass was secured through accrediting or by taking the examination, by. success in three subjects, in which no mark could fall below 50 per cent.; now there are to be four subjects in which an aggregate of 200 marks must be secured, .with not fewer than 35 per cent, in English and 30 per cent, in any other subject. ( In each case a prerequisite is at least two other subjects at school certificate level. It is to be assumed that principals will follow a similar system for accrediting, and both the new procedure and the August report to the senate will be watched with interest.