Change In School Cert. Regulations

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30808, 21 July 1965, Page 18

Change In School Cert. Regulations

GVtw Zealand Press Association/ WELLINGTON, July 20. The Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) said today he would recommend to the Government an amendment to school certificate regulations to permit adults to enter for education certificates in one or more subjects.

At present entry is required in a minimum of four subjects for school certificate and five for certificate of attainment. Mr Kinsella said it was proposed to raise the minimum level of the certificate of education by requiring candidates to achieve a C pass (50 per cent) in at least one subject. Any other subject in which candidates gain 30 per cent or more will be shown on the certificate. Entries for the certificate of education in one or more subjects would therefore be accepted from adults this year, the Minister said. “This arrangement applies only to candidates over 15 at date of entry who are not enrolled as full-time pupils at a post-primary school,” Mr Kinsella said. “It also is limited to candidates for certificate of education. “Candidates for school certificate or certificate of attainment, whether school pupils or not, will still be required to pass the examina-

Mon at one sitting in four or five subjects respectively, as at present,” he said. For a school certificate, completion of a three-year course at a secondary school is also necessary. “It is this latter requirement that many of the adult candidates are unable to fulfill.” Mr Kinsella said. “The new provisions for single subject entries will provide many of them with an attainable goal and an opportunity to secure a certificate giving tangible evidence of achievement in one or more subjects at the school certificate examination level,” Mr Kinsella said. He said the amendment to school certificate regulations was prompted by the increased enrolment in evening classes of adults preparing themselves for the school certificate examination. “In many places considerable numbers of Maori people are enrolling, and their efforts to further their education deserve every encouragement,” he said.