SCHOOL EFFICIENCY TESTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 172, 15 April 1919, Page 8

SCHOOL EFFICIENCY TESTS

AN EPIDEMIC MEASURE OF EXPEDIENCY

WHY NOT MAKE IT

PERMANENT?

■Referring at tho annual meeting of the householders of the Clyde Quay School district last evening to the leaving certificato tests, Mr. William Foster, the headmaster, recalled what took place in tins connection in IMB.' "The epidemic, ho said, "necessitated the closing ot the schools some six weeks before their ordinary time. In the case of nil standards below the Sixtli Standard this entailed 110 hardship on pupils. Headmasters j.ad tlw records of their term examinations to "Hide them, and a consultation with tho respective class teachers enabled promotions to be made at the beginning ot the year without injustice to the pupils. ' "In the Sixth Standard practically the same procedure was adopted. Tho _ illepectorSj in whose hands this examination rests, had recourse to the headmaster's term examinations 111 Standard VI and after consultation with thelieadma'ster and the class teacher proceeded to award proficiency and competency certificates. This temporary expedient might well become a. permanent practice. 1 have elsewhere said that the success or failure in the examination room is no real test of the efficiency of the pupil. On the average it is a test. But we must not consider averages in school life. Teachers know that the examination room often produces untoward, results, ihe slacker, very often astonishes with Ms brilliancy, while the plodder or the finelystrung temperament, fails. This is 60 even in Wellington, wliere the children regard the inspector as their' friend and look forward to his visits with pleasure. Why should the nervous child be penalised? Why should the lazy but clever slacker loaf all the year and then gam a proficiency certificate, only to go on to the secondary sohool as a stacker again ? 'lie former needs sympathy for his weakness, tho latter punishment for his slackness. Both needs can be fulfilled in what may b> termed the accrediting system-tiie svstcm used in 1918 as an expedient ' "It mav be urged that such a system puts too much power in the hands of the teacher, and may result in slackness on his part and consequent inefficiency' 10 the pupils. I have a higher opinion of inv profession than to think they would take an undue advantage of the responsibility put on them. But anyway, the State has its safeguards. The inspectors 1 examine tho work of these pupils (luring the currency of the year, and they know their teachers. If a teachers judging at tlio end of tlie year does not approximate to the estimates of the class formed by the inspector during the currency of tho ycav, the position is quite safe. Lne inspector has the last word.