WELCOME CHANGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 10

WELCOME CHANGE.

SCHOOL EXAMS.

PRIMARY CERTIFICATE.

MORE HELP FOR INDIVIDUALS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON", this day. The outstanding feature of 1937, says Dr. J. W. Melliaith, Chief Inspector of Primarv Schools, in his annual repoit. was the abandonment of the annual examination of the pupils of lorm 11. (Standard VI.) for Certificates of Proficiency and Competency. Legislation ill 193(i and the issue of regulations in 1937 to implement this legislation have now left in the ha win of teachers in charge, of whools the responsibility of issuing to pupils that have completed a course in l-'orm 11. a primary school certificate. This certificate will replace- both the Proficiency and the Competency Certificates formerly issued. The change lias been welcomed by both teachers and inspectors of schools. It has saved the inspectors the labour involved and the time spent in preparing and in assessing the merits of the candidates, though it must be said that the evolution of the previous system had been in the direction of accrediting without examination a higliet and higher percentage of tlie ]ni|>ils recommended by the teacher in charge. Greater Sense of Freedom. To the teachers the change has brought a more real sense of freedom and a relaxation of the nervous tension caused by the anxiety of parents that their children should secure a Certificate of Proficiency, and bv the tendency of the public to assess the efficiency of a r-chool by the ]>crcentage of such certificates gained. Within the class itself the curriculum can now be better adapted, so far as such circumstances a» stuffing and equipment allow, to the needs of the individual pupils, instead of working so that the class as a whole would cover t lie ground from which questions would be likely to bo asked j in an external examination.

Freedom is now felt to be much more real; the aptitudes and consequent needs of individual pupils can be recognised. suitable courses can be planned, and, so long as the pupil has completed tlie course, a Primary School Certificate will be issued carrying with it all the privileges formerly associated with the Certificate of Proficiency. Finishing the Coarse. Tt is only natural that many teachers have asked what is meant by finishing the course. It was not deemed wise at this early stage to lay down any definite rules, for the teachers should have time to reflect and discuss this matter among themselves. It is said, however, that the pupils concerned should have attended regularly, applied themselves with diligence and have gained a reasonable knowledge of the work. The amendment of the regulations referred to above makes it passible for a pupil who has gained a Primary School Certificate to enter upon a free place in any post-primary school, and also for any pupil over the age of 14 and not possessing a Primary School Certificate to enter upon a similar free place. Under the previous regulations a pupil of the latter type could take up a free place in a technical high school only. Now the doors of every secondary school and of the secondary departments of district high schools are open. Add to this the facilities offered by the Correspondence School, and free postprimary education is at the service of every young person in the Dominion over the age of 14.