CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 194, 21 September 1909, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE.

PUBLIC SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln your report oi the last meeting of the Education Board I noticed i resolution was received from tiie North Canterbury branch of the Farmers' Union asking the Board 10 support a reversion to the old system

of examining pupils in our State schools. Formerly each school was examined during some one month each year by a Board's inspector, and on this examination, which might be modified by the head {eacTier's term examina-

tion_ marks, promotions "were made and certificates of proficiency granted to Standard VI. Now all schools are to be examined for piomotion purposc6 by the head teachers in December of each year. Standard VI. pupils who wish to obtain proficiency certificates are to attend centres. It is to this latter : clauso that the Union takes exceptioa, for the reason that country children, , being unfamiliar with their surroundings, -would not do themselves justice, ! owing to nervousness. To my surprise, the resolution seemed to be generally supported by Board and inspectors alike. Now, sir, I do not wish to minimise the difficulty complained of; anyone who has had to deaj with children knows that it carries great weight. But, with equal propriety, the same objection could be urged in the ease of candidates fo r a scholarship; they arc ' compelled to attend centres for examination. It may be said that the ca«i-s are not parallel; perhaps not; but if

nerves are to count in one ease, why 71 ot in another? I think, sir, there are several good r easons why we should not revert to the old order of things. No one hut a teacher know.* how inconvenient it is to have pupils dropping into a class, nil iu various fitagefi of progress. An example: Suppose "A*' school is examined in April; the work in thTs school goes on as twiml till September. when a pupil from "B" school, examined in July, jftits in an appearance. This scholar is Ihree months behind his "new classmates. and it is inevitable that "he nets as a drag on iiis companions, a source of worry to the teacher, and fevls discouraged himself. December examinations would obviate, that trouble, for all pupils would be! at the. same Mage of progress synchronously ovur the Dominion. This aspect of the question ought to commend itself to parents and teachers alike. Certificates of proficiency arc chiefly valued as a mta-fls of "tfceliccess'to secondary schools.' To obtaiu uniformity of work throughout the year in the.*e schools it is highly desirable that pupils should all begin in January, and not drop h haphazard during the year. In order to

minimise tlje 'effects of -.it-rvousnces 'rthe case of country children, a candidate for a proficiency certificate could living with him a form showing how many marks lie had obtained in each subject at the term examination!? of hi* school, and, if needful, the head teacher could 'furnish the examiner with a copy of the questions and the pupil's written answers thereto. Any individual failing could he noted in the | schedules, as now. Thanking you c or inserting this somewhat long letter,—! am,, etc... ALPHA.