IMPORTANT CHANGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 31, 7 February 1939, Page 8

IMPORTANT CHANGE

EDUCATION SYSTEM REPLACING UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM. [ Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 6. A.n important change in educalion policy was approved to-day by the Senate of the University of New Zealand when it affirmed the principle that the entrance to the University should, in general, be by way of accrediting instead of by the University entrance examination now held. This decision followed the submission of a report by a committee on the entrance examination which, having considered a summary of a report by the Council for Educational Research, recommended that entrance to the University should, in general, be by way of accrediting by any school on a list of approved schools drawn up by the University in consultation with the University of New Zealand. The ccommittee also suggested that a properly devised cumulative school record card should form the basis of accrediting. The committee also suggested that that the Education Department should increase its staff of secondary school inspectors; that further provision for specialised training of postprimary teachers should immediately be made; and that a liaison officer should be appointed by each constituent college and should be given such status and functions in the college and in schools as would enable him to reoort and advise on accrediting as it affected both the University and the schools.

The senate agreed on the committee’s suggestion that at least throe years of satisfactory post-primary study should be demanded before a school certificate was granted by accrediting and that for pupils who wished afterwards to be accredited for matriculation a further year of school work should be required. The final recommendation in the |report was that the present examination should still be held for those who [did not. qualify for entrance by J accrediting and who were over 16 I years of age on December 1 of the year of examination. This scheme, tne I report explained, was to apply only to i general entrance and was not to ’affect the professional courses for which special entrance examinations | were not provided. These examinations would be continued as at present. I The senate approved the principle of the scheme outlined by the committee and decided to submit it to the academic board, entrance board and professional boards of the colleges for a report to the next meeting of the senate. Professor T. A. Hunter’s suggestion that the executive committee should discuss th e financial considerations of the scheme with the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, was also approved.