STIFFENING SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2942, 30 November 1916, Page 7

STIFFENING SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

WELLINGTON EDUCATION BOARD OBJECTS

DEPARTMENT CRITICISED

At the mooting of tlio .Wellington Inflation Board yesterday morning protests wore recoived from sovoral "committees respecting tlio "stiffening" 'v>( the examinations in our State schools ,<for proficiency and competency certificates by tlio - alterations mado in tlio /regulations by tbo Education Department. Tlio desire of somo Tnombers .was to apply to' tlio Department at «nco to restore tlio former conditions, *ut the- Chief Inspector (Mr. T. P. :'Fleming) stated that it was too lato to klo anything this year, as tlio regulations had been issued on October 15, and most of the- examinations under Ifchom had boon concluded.

At this tlicro was a chorus of disapproval of the action of tlio Department in acting in such haste. [ Mr. T. Moss said that' the chance jjvhich had been mado so suddenly by Jrio Department was felt particularly . in the country, where the children did kiot have the advantages of getting tho nigher education that city children did. tHe urged that a 'protest should' bo jniado by the board against the chango in the regulations. Perhaps tho board's Inspector might explain. Tho chairman (Mr. J. Q. W. Aitkon) indicated that the now regulations had been made by tho Dopartmont, and as ,tbo Chief Inspector was attached to jf.ho Department he could not very well Icriticisp its action: • Mr. Moss said ho realised tl>° delifcacy of Mr. Fleming's position, but that did not throw any light on tho (situation. ; Mr. Win. Allan: Is the standard demanded so much higher than last Jtear? ; Tho Inspector: Oh, yes; it's supposed .to bo higher. ' Mr. A. W. Hogg thought tho procedure was extraordinary. As far as to could gather' the board had not been fconsulted, and it was doubtful if tho inspectors wore consulted. Ho would Jike to point out that whilst the change knight impose no great hardship on the children in tho cities, grave difficulties tvero imposed on children in the country, who had not the opportunities open to children in a metropolis. The age lit which a child could compete for a certificate was now. limited to 14 years, Which would effect a largo proportion jof tho country children. Tne boards should have been consulted, and the Department should have asked for their news on tho matter. If things like this wero done it was, 'he said, "a jvery rotten state of affairs in conpectiou with tho education system of the Dominion." TJiey were protesting til over the country against their educational privileges being taken away. , Mr. G. London argued that it was rather, an unfortunate condition of things that had arisen, and one which ho thought vitally affected tho systom. He did! not know that the effect of the ' change would be generally beneficial, ijust as often as not they found that ithe_ brilliant, well-tutored lad never achieved anything partioular in the 'arena of life, a,nd that the dull boy (at school) just as often succeeded. He was 'glad to see that members of the board .■were taking their duties seriously. IFhere was no subject they could mora profitably discuss. Mr. Allan gave notico of motion that !the subject be discussed at an early meeting of the board next year, as it was too lato to do anything practical Shis year. It was also decided to protest to the Department against, tho changes being made- in- the-.-examina-tion regulations without consultation with the boards.