ENTRANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22304, 19 January 1938, Page 8

ENTRANCE TO THE UNIVERSITY

■ ♦ EXAMINATION MAY BE ABOLISHED SENATE REAFFIRMS FREEDOI OF SPEECH (PBESS ASSOCIATION TSLXCrBAK.) DUNEDIN, January 18. The Senate of the University <f New Zealand concluded its sesska this morning. The Senate adopted a resolution that, to give post-primary schools greater freedom in forming their courses of work, it set up a committee to consider (a) the report of the New Zealand Council of Educational Research on university entrance examinations, and (b) the advisability of abolishing the university entrance examination and substituting for it some other qualification for entrance to the univetsity. Dr. Robert J. T. Bell, Professor d Mathematics at the University , i Otago, said that the Senate had h* A before it a report from Mr C. Ml Gilray on the accrediting system iul Victoria. The conditions of teachertraining and qualification in Scotland and Victoria were similar, ftofessor Bell said. After the examination papers had been corrected inspectors discussed doubtful cases with the headmasters, having before them a record of the candidate over his whole course. It was acknowledged. Professor Bell said, that the standard of the entrance examination in New Zealand was not sufficiently high to secure an adequate basis for university work. Both in Scotland and m Victoria university work began m school subjects at a stage corresponding to that of the pass degree in New Zealand. The university teachers were anxious that th(W who came to their classes should be at least as well pi'epared. Secondary school teachers were anxious to be freed from the controlling constraint of the present entrance examination Reforms Suggested These objects, declared Profess Bell, might both be attained modifying the New Zealand system —by relegating the present entranre examination to the position m * school-leaving examination and. I®* 1 ®* stituting a new entrance examination, to be taken by those omy were proceeding to a course; by making matriculation conditional on the possession or school-leaving certificate and m passing of certain prerequisite su jects in a new entrance exa “ffl tion; by setting up a schools board comprising tatives of the schools, the Educa Department, and the University - New Zealand, which would coifott' examinations for the leaving cate and for entrance; and by ducing a system of accrediting, cofining it at first to the school leaving certificate and later, wn thorough scheme of training sec ? » ary teachers for secondary senwork was in operation, by appo ing a sufficient secondary school spectorate, and, when had been gained, cxtend “l“ in a! gradually to the entrance exam®* tion. Public Utterances The following resolution . adopted: “That the Senate the right of university the full exercise of their fu*Jg and privileges as citizens, exce® £ that there is a special responsi uton them to weigh their public terances.” ~ T During the debate Mr L. Ritchie said that he was at a know why the motion was oei the Senate. If and when there a request from the protessors j consider the matter, he would ■ ' lingly do so. but he saw no re®* why it should be brought UP present. The motion reaffirmed belief in the freedom of speech, it was unnecessary to reaffirm o belief in axioms. The Senate hj never said that teachers had 1 ' freedom of speech, and personal! n had a high regard for the S'* sense, honour, and experience o>■ professors, and was willing to «<»* the matter in their hand?.