POST-PRIMARY TEACHING

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24567, 16 May 1945, Page 2

POST-PRIMARY TEACHING

CHANGES IN PROPOSED REGULATIONS AUCKLAND PROFESSORS* SUGGESTIONS (P.A.) AUCKLAND, May 15. New recommendations for changes in the proposed regulations for postprimaiy Instruction in New Zealand have been made by the Professorial Board of Auckland University College to the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason). The board states, however, that the time available since the draft of the proposals was issued by the department. less than a month ago, has been too brief to allow them to be examined thoroughly or discussed adequately. , . "We wish to comment on an alleged statement by the Minister to the effect that the recommendations in the report have met with very wide approval* states the chairman of the board (Professor A. B. Fitt), submitting the professors’ recommendations. “We must point out that a rather considerable body of criticism is offered and we say that while some of it was met, much of It apparently has not found' acceptance by the department. We wish to express appreciation of the recognition that has been given some of our suggestions, and would earnestly urge the further consideration of fresh suggestions.” ■ ■ ■ Discussing the proposed common core of education, the professors recommend that headmasters be permuted, with the approval of the department,. to vary the time allotted to the subjects in this group in order to allow more thorough preparation of the traditional academic type for pupils likely to proceed to the University and other pupils likely to profit from such instruction. Next the professor* ask for information as to what body will conduct the school certificate examination for candidates who are not in attendance at 8 The* professors recommend that the minimum pass qualification in each subject be 40 per cent, instead of 30 per cent, as in the draft, and that the aggregate marks for a pass be defined in the regulations. The professors consider that social studies should be removed from the common core and the subject replaced by history and geography to be taught as separate subjects.