Half Gain School Certificate

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30962, 19 January 1966, Page 18

Half Gain School Certificate

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, January 18. Although the Education Department will have no precise analysis of results for some time, it is known that about half of the 38,000-odd candidates for the school certificate examination have passed again this year. Last year, the final pass proportion was 51.2 per cent, in 1963, 49.5 per cent, in 1962, 50.5 per cent, and in 1961, 50.7 per cent. In an endeavour to preserve a consistent pass value, departmental experts scale some marks up or down to eliminate variations in the standard of marking, or separate subject papers and of the overall examination from year to year. The technique assumes a consistent education level among the increasing number of candidates from year to year. The 1962 Commission on Education noted criticism of “the deliberate maintenance of a fixed percentage of passes by the action of scaling officers of the department.”

Constant Standard In fact, the department aims at a constant standard —not at the 50 per cent “norm,” which more often than not happens to be a mere by-product. The commission found that the pass percentage had actually fallen since 1950 (when it was 60.4) and attributed the change to departmental efforts to maintain historically unchanged standards. When account was taken of the many who were now repeating the examination in subsequent years, the proportion of those who eventually succeeded in recent years had risen to 68.3 per cent, said the commission. The department found that for the five years to 1960, about 48 of every 100 entrants sitting for the first time in their third year of schooling were successful at first attempt. A further 20 passed at their second or subsequent attempts.

Computer Helped

The computer which this year helped refine and accelerate the marking and notification programme yet further also helped with the scaling for the first time. In adjusting the marks of individual markers, scaling officers wo;‘k from medians and quartiles and use rulers and a graph-like chart to project intermediate adjustments. This time, the computer itself made those intermediate adjustments. Some awed but slightly suspicious staff nevertheless rechecked with the familiar

pencils and rulers. Their exercise, which took the best part of a week, provided only that the computer had in an Lour or so done the same job faster and more accurately. The department could not confirm yesterday suggestions that of those who failed the examination many had apparently done so because of failure in English. English Compulsory English is the sole compulsory subject. To secure school certificate, a student must get an aggregate of at least 200 marks in four subjects including English, and no fewer than 30 out of 100 marks in any one of those subjects.

Many took five and some as many as six of the 37 subjects offered, which this year

included some new “tough” options, including a special mathematics paper. Individual result cards were mailed at the week-end. Those in Wellington and some other centres received theirs on Monday. With the results cards this year, successful students have received their certificates — including certificates of attainment (for a five-subject pass without three years of secondary schooling) and certificates of education (for at least 50 marks in a single subject). Several hundred scholars sat in the latter two categories. Interval In Past

In previous years, there has been an interval of several months before actual certificates reached those qualifying.

Kenya and Afghanistan are among the farther-flung places where students this time sat—and secured—their certificate. The deadline for singlesubject recount applications from unsuccessful aspirants is February 10. Passes on such grounds will be publishe;'. in separate lists later next month, but individuals will be notified as soon as their own applications have been resolved. Officials will soon have to surrender time on the uibiquitous computer for the processing of the vast array of teacher paycheck adjustments which accompanies the opening of the new school year. When that job has been completed, the researchers will begin a thorough statistical study of the 1965 School Certificate examination.