ACCREDITING SYSTEM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1943, Page 2

ACCREDITING SYSTEM

OBSERVATIONS AT COLLEGE BREAK-UP ESSENTIALS OF EDUCATION POSITION OF THE PUPIL “I am not casting any reflection on primary or secondary school teachers, but I feet that in "the essentials of education the children from the primary schools today are not up to standard,” observed Mr A. 0. Jones, chairman of the Wairarapa College Board of Governors at the annual break-up ceremony last night. Mr Jones said it was not that the children were less intelligent or that the teachers were at fault but the trouble Jay in the system under which the proficiency examination had been abolished. It was a matter which was of concern to the people who employed the children when they left school. Mr Jones considered that business, professional and commercial people should be consulted as to their requirements. Mr Jones said he knew he was on tender grounds regarding the accrediting system under which it would take the average child four years to pass through.. On the same subject the ActingPrincipal, Mr F. J. Gair said later in the evening:

“District high schools will not, I understand, be empowered to accredit. District high school pupils who pass the school certificate examination will therefore be obliged to move to approved high schools such as ours to obtain their Higher Leaving Certificate. The full significance of the approaching educational changes is certainly not appreciated by the public. The great benefit of the new regulations is this: “At present,” said Mr Gair, “a pupil must make a definite choice between a course which leads on to University Entrance (a course which we call a professional course) and an alternative course such as an agricultural course, a home course, an art course, a trades course, a commercial course. At present a pupil knows when he selects this alternative course that he is practically debarring himself for ever from sitting for the University Entrance examination. It is now intended, however, that in future a pupil may take any course whatever without prejudicing his chances of ultimately passing the University Entrance examination. The dovetailing of subjects and courses will be a problem of considerable complexity. Personally I am convinced that the complete realisation of this scheme will require much more liberal staffing. Few schools, however, from the point of view of equipment, are so blessed as Wairarapa College to carry out the proppsed changes. As these changes proceed and new modified curricula are evolved in the secondary schools of New Zealand, there is no reason why Wairarapa College, with its full pre-war staff, should not be in the van.”