Unskilled Work Attracts Too Many College Pupils

Chronicle (Levin), 10 December 1949, Page 4

Unskilled Work Attracts Too Many College Pupils

"There is evidence within the school that ihe attraction of high : wages in unskilled and semiskilled occupations is having its effeot," said the principal of Horovvhenua Cpllege, . Mr, N. A. Byrne, at the annual prize-giving ceremony yesterday, He was. commenting on the examination results, ■which he described as»b,eihg well ap to the stah.dard of other years. At the moment a boy or girl did not need training to command high wages and many were coni fcenf tq leave schopi with oply a smattering of the slcill they could . abtain from a full course, coiivinued the principal. Employers were so. anxious t,o ofetain staff that they were prepared to accept implpyees whose educationai otandards were cpmparatively low. "The ultimate effect for both the employer and employee must be qad," he added. A ppst-primary s.chool course of iess than three years could hdt result in any speci.ahs.ed skilk At least fp.ur years were necessary to atiain real prQffciency. Yet the majority of pupils in tfie tradps, ciunmercial and home science courses left before, or on completing a two-year course. '•T wouid like to see far more of c.ur students in these courses situng for the Schpoi Certificate Examination," stated Mr. Byrne. "This goal tp work for pipyid.es a valuable ineentive to work ahd the lack of inpentive to b.eeome really skilled seems to. me to be one of the most serious defects ih our social and educationai system." ,Mr. Byrne reported that the two candidates for the Junior University Scholarships had passed with ■ credit. Of the 15 candidates in the Ilniversityi Entrance Examination 14 had passed. Twehty-seven pupils had succeeded in the School Certiifioate Examination, for which 44 had entered. AU 22 eritrants in the Chamber of Cominerce and Pitman's shorthand-iyping examinafio.ns had secured pass.es. "The academic standards of the school had been well maintained," added che principal.