HIGH SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 12 August 1932, Page 13

HIGH SCHOOLS.

ACCREDITING FOR FREE PLACES. SEW REGULATIONS GAZETTED. jXBB FBZSS Special Benric*.] WELLINGTON, "Angust 11. ' In 'riev of the decision of the Minister for Education to limit the accrediting system for a senior free place in 'secondary and technical schools this jear to a minimum, revised regulations haVc been prepared for the intermediate examination which must be taken 6y practically all pupils. Particulars of the sew regulations are published in tie Gazette. The intention of the Minister is to conduct an e-amination chiefly for the purpose «f checking the accrediting system throughout the schools where iceztditing fat a senior free place has beat in operation for a considerable tine. The Department is stated to be of opinion that the accrediting system, like any other, requires occasional [decking. There is no desire to make lie test more stringent. An arrangement has been made by which a pupil «ul be able to make the most of nis Jest subjects. Under the new arrangement the Public Service entrance extminatioE is done away with. This examination has not been used to any peat extent by the Public Service Commissioner in recent years owing to the number of candidates who qualified ftom the University entrance examination. The senior nations! scholarship namination has also beo.' abolished. ■la accordance with a recent decision the* new intermediate examination will ierviee as a test for a senior free place «uy where in the past the two examinations mentioned were conducted conttmparaneously. Certain alterations have been made in the compulsory subjects and the values ia marking attached to them in order to make the conditions as equal as possible for all candidates. There will ja future be no subject in which a candidate must pass, although there are objects which must be taken, and the result in judging t: pass will depend spon the averago number of marks gained. In English toe maximum narks have been reduced from 500 to *M. In order to pass the examination a candidate must gain not less than 40 per cent, of the total assignable narka under the new regulations.

A Uniform Test. Previously there has been 110 complete uniformity in accrediting, and pupils who have not been recommended **ve taken the examination. It has teen found that about 15 per cent, of *««e not accredited have passed the examination. On account of the wide variety of courses and the'difficulty in. having general examinations, the method i> technical schools has been to take the renlt of the internal tests of the schools together with the recommendations ot the principals. This is to all mints aid purposes the form of accrediting. Tbe new examination will provide a more or less uniform test for a " sehoola. The number of subjects °** bean enlarged, and arrangements *»« been made by which subjects not °a tie list can be taken by pupils in 6 PeeiaJi»ed classes, such as those in J OB1 * technical schools for boys enterlnS the printing trade or taking up an "* «rcer. The examination papers *™ be eet by the general examiners, **> will be mostly drawn from the staff of Departmental inspectors, but .«« aetual examinations will be superr**l for- the most part in the schortls ■T ♦he teachers. The teachers will ■JJJ* the papers, and forward them to **• "department, where tliey will be ««eked by the inspectors. It is hoped !**t the results will be available early the examinations being held *forember or December. Xon-Star-5 *t*?lß will send their candidates in %'Qrdinarv wav to the examination "tires.