SCHOOL CERTIFICATES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1034, 26 July 1930, Page 11

SCHOOL CERTIFICATES

SOLVING EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS NEW SCHEME SUGGESTED A scheme which is considered to solve most of the problems associated with the present education system has been evolved by the Registered Secondary Schools’ Association of New Zealand, and has been forwarded to the Minister of Education, the University Entrance Board, and the Director of Education. The association has recommended that two certificates, known respectively as the Lower and the Highei School Certificates, shall be issued. The former would be issued to students who have completed three years of broad and liberal education reaching to a standard above that at present required by the Public Service Entrance examination, and somewhat below that of the matriculation tests. It wou.d be based on an examination of the de partment. Certificates would show the actual marks gained in each subject—not a pass or fail examination—and a general endorsement by the principal of the school. At least six subjects would have to he taken, of which English alone would be compulsory. FIVE YEARS’ WORK In the Higher School examination the pupil would be required to have completed five years at a secondary school, reaching a standard one year above that of the present matriculation examination. Six subjects would be taken, English alone being compulsory and a pass would be granted on four subjects. Honours would be granted in any subject in which special papers would be taken of the standard of the present University Entrance Scholarship examination. “My association further recommends the department to set up a Schools’ Examination Board similar to the in Victoria, with equal representation of the University, the Departmental Secondary Schools and Registered Second ary Schools,” states the memorandum forwarded by the R.S.S.A This boa~d could take over the conduct of all the examinations at present conducted by the department and would provide that link between examiners and teachers which is so greatly desired with its attendant opportunities to review paper?, etc. We believe that in such a board lies the remedy of most of our examination troubles. “We further suggest that the University Senate, by defining the conditions on which it will recognise the Higher School Certificate as a qualification for Matriculation, may overcome some of its problems.” The honorary secretary of the association, Mr. Noel Gibson. considers that a lower school certificate wouid probably meet the requirements of many employers. while the higher school certificate might well meet the demands of those employers who now desired matriculation for their juniors This would remove the cramping effect of the present university entrance ex amination.