EXAMINATION MARKS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29152, 12 March 1960, Page 14

EXAMINATION MARKS

Inclusion On School Certificate Urged

(New Zealand Press Association/ BLENHEIM, March 11.

The School Certificate as a guide for prospective employers was meaningless, and conveyed nothing of the ability of the holder on the score of educational qualifications, which the employer naturally wanted to know, Mr H. M. Matson, a commercial master at Marlborough College, told a meeting of the Marlborough Provincial Chamber of Commerce.

To obtain a pass a pupil had to achieve 200 marks in four subjects, with a minimum of 30 in English. But the marks were not shown on the certificate—merely the pass. He asked the chamber to consider which of these two girls would be more suited for a comnercial position—“A,” who gained her School Certificate with English 30, history 65, biology 65, French 49, and a fail in shorthand typing at 17; pr “B,” who failed her School Certificate v th English 52, shorthand typing 63, commercial practice 51, geography 30. a total of 196 marks.

He felt that the majority would select the girl “B.” But those marks were not shown on the certificate which the potential employer wished to see when the girls were applying for positions.

“The information is available, but the department contends, that with the present mechanical computation the marks cannot be included on the certificates,” Mr Matson said. “But without them the certificate, as far as the potential employer is concerned, is meaningless.”