ACCREDITING SYSTEM

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27408, 22 July 1954, Page 5

ACCREDITING SYSTEM

REPORT TO AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD

CHANGES FAVOURED BY COMMITTEE (New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 21. Big changes in the present system of accrediting for university entrance are recommended in a report adopted today by the Auckland Education Board. The report—prepared by a special committee set up to study the matter —urged that a full inquiry be made into accrediting on the ground that it is not fulfilling its original purpose. The report opposed the extension of accrediting to the school certificate examination, as is being sought by the Wellington Education Board.

The committee proposed that accrediting should be granted only after two years in the sixth form. It should be made automatic at this stage. The present university entrance examinaion should be abolished.

“It was hoped that accrediting, by removing the examination complex from its domination of the school, would permit a broadening of the curriculum,” the report said. “But ! because it is not possible to assess who is going to be accredited until near the end of the course, the school must still work to a fairly narrow examination prescription. “Need to Cram” “While the university, when accrediting was first brought in, required the standard to be brought up to a fourth-year course and students were accredited in three subjects, they later extended the accrediting to four units. This virtually put back the need to concentrate on these four only, and to cram if pupils were to be assured of passing. “It has also been pointed out that while accrediting says in essence, ‘These persons are fit to go on to university,’ in the next breath they are told they are not fit until they have done another year in the Upper Sixth. Therefore, if accrediting is to perform its function it seems fundamental to make these two years in the sixth the basis of the system.

“If it were known in advance that everyone who had two years in the sixth would be automatically accredited, it would then be over to headmasters to indicate to pupils who should continue for the extra year. And with a certainty of accrediting without examination there would be a real possibility of broadening the treatment of subjects.” The board decided to forward copies of the report to both the Education Department and the Wellington Education Board.