LEAVING TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 15, 19 January 1933, Page 22

LEAVING TEST.

ANOTHER EXPLANATION.

SENATE ENDORSES PROPOSAL,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. ;f Thc University Senate to-day approved of a . proposal to hold a schoolleaving examination in conjunction with the University entrance (matriculation) examination. For the purposes of the school-leaving certificate, which would be granted by the Education Department, the following subjects would be added to those of the present entrance examination: —Arithmetic,'technical drawing, economics, bookkeeping, shorthand and typing, needlework, housecraft, handicraft, technical electricity (alternative to electricity and magnetism), heat engines (alternative to heat and light), physiology and hygiene and general biology (alternative to botany). The vice-chancellor, Professor T. A. Hunter, explained that the additional subiects were provided for the benefit of scholars who desired some form of leaving certificate, but who did not want to enter a university. The examination would be conducted by the University, but the leaving certificate would be granted by the Education Department. The proposal had yet to be accepted finally by the Department, and when accepted would take some time to work out.

It was desired to take a higher standard for the entrance than the leaving examination in certain fundamental subjects, but it was felt that when a big change was being made it would be wise to do only one thing at a time. "This is the first step to the raising of the standard of the entrance examination," he added.

The vice-chancellor said the new scheme eliminated the possibility of pupils having to sit for two examinations, the entrance and the leaving. He did not know whether the Department would agree to the proposal, but the senate had done what it conld to prevent two examinations having to be set.