THE PROFICIENCY TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1931, Page 6

THE PROFICIENCY TEST

syllabus followed. MARKING LESS SEVERE THAN IN PAST WELLINGTON, Nov. 23. In the opinion of the Director of Education, Air T. B. Strong, harm may have been clone; by the reported statement that Air H. Atmore, formerly Minister of Education, considered that not more than 50 per cent of the candidates would , pass their ■ proficiency i examinations this year;, This suggestion, coupled with rumours that instructions had been given to inspectors to tighten up the .examination considerably, were the subject of a statement, to-day by Mr Strong; He made if clear that this year’s proficiency examinatibns followed the syllabus entirely, and that teachers and pupils need have no fear that the marking would he more severe than in the past. ... “Very Htle alteration indeed has been made in the examination .tests set for proficiency certificates,’;’ Air Strong said. “The Department does not undertake that the examination shall always he the same from year to year. It is quite contrary to custom, in fact, for any examination body to publish a full, 'description of the nature of the examination tests that will l>e set.

“Some years ago the, proficiency papers were varied by, introducing a type of examination that was popular in America. And that had found . some favour in Great Britain. The results did not satisfy the Department, and it was decided this year, not to set so many tests of that particular kind, lnit to revert to the type that had proved very satisfactory in previous vears. f TESTS CONFORM TO SYLLABUS “A sudden change lias not been made, as tests of both kinds find their place in the present examination.” Air Strong continued. “Care has been taken that no tests shall be set that, do not conform with the requirements of the public school syllabus. No teacher who' has taught in accordance with the syllabus need he apprehensive that his pupils will not be sufficiently well prepared for this .year’s exuniination. A great deal of harm, however, lias been done by the suggestions that have recently been made that the examination will he more than ordin nrih difficult. Tbe psychological effec t of such a suggestion is likely to be such ns to make candidates unduly nervous when facing the exam illation A feeling of apprehension is easily communicated from teachers to pupils, and in this instance has no real foundation ” Refering to the reported staterret of Air R. AfoKeen, the Director said that the Department knew nothing at all aout any reduction in the mfinlier of proficiency passes by 50 per cent., nor had any such instructions been issued to the inspectors. The Department at the present time was receiving reports from inspectors ns to the results of proficiency examinations tl>at so far had bpen held, and, they showed the usual variation \from school to school.