Our Primary Schools.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7072, 18 February 1893, Page 2

Our Primary Schools.

THE “ PERCENTAGES ” EVIL. At the meeting of the Otago Education Board on Thursday the Hon Mr Macgregnr said he wished to direc the attention of the Beard to the necessity for making some endeavour to put a stop to the scramble f.>r percentages that was so common to many teachers. It waa becoming a very serious evil, and ho intended to put the views of hstasrlf and e few others on the subject in the form of resolutions, and submit them to Ihe Board Ic would then ba for the Board to say whether it was necessary to take any action ; he thought it was. The following wore the resolutions - “ I hat the practice heretofore followed by the Board, of publishing in the annual report the percentage of passes obtained in the various schools, and of publishing lists of schools attaining the highest and lowest percentages, be discontinued. ** That the inspectors be instructed that in future they are not to report the percentage of passes of pupils examined, but only the percentage prescribed by the regulations, “ That teachers be notified by circular that the Board disapprove of the practice of keep ing children' in school after school hoars for the purpose of specially preparing them for the inspectors’ examinations ; that the inspectors be requested to discourage special preparations for the annual examinations in every poeeibla way, and to report to the Board whether the Board’s instructions on this point are duly attended to

“ ihafc a circular be issued to school cornmil t !oa suggesting tho propriety of discouraging the publication of the percentage of passes made by individual tchools, “ That teachers be informed that in csti inatiuS the efficieney of schoola the Board will attach more importance to the inspectors’ reports on tbo tone, order, and discipline of the schools than to the percentage of passes of individual pupils." “ That the Board a”e of opinion that an undue proportion of the pupils’- time is at present devoted to arithmetic and the technicalities of grammar, and that the inspectors be requested to make their examinations in then? as simple and elementary ns

ia consistent with a fair interpretation of tho standard”—With regard to this resolution, Mr Macgregor said : The latter method bad been the practice of tho Board fur a long time. The Committee that were appointed, for the year to overhaul the reports had always at* tiobed most importance to the reports of the inspectors’ visits—that was, the inspection visits as distinguished from the examinations ; but, it was well, ho thought, that they should tell the teachers this ; that the Beard and attached, and for the future would continue to attach, more importance to the reports of the inspection visits than to the results of the percentages. “ That, in order to enable the inspectors to devote more time to inspection (as distinguished from examination) and heioing and directing teachers in the best methods of teaching, classification, and organise'ion, the Board suggests to the Minister of Kducation the advisability of amending the regulations so as to do away with all individual pass examinations except ih the higher standards." The Board agreed to adopt the first five resolutions, aa members were all agreed upon the contents of the same, and to allow the remaining two to stand over till next meeting, referring them to the inspectors for ft report.