High Failure Rate

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 3

High Failure Rate

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 20.

Only 37 per cent of students sitting Accountancy I at Victoria University passed, Professor R. Sidebotham, the professor of accountancy, said today. The failure rate had been “disappointingly high,” he said.

Professor Sidebotham attributed the high rate of failure to the introduction of the new degree of bachelor of commerce and administration at the, university, and to the fact that students sitting the examination were not of as high an educational standard as those in the arts and science faculties.

In 1966, for the first time, ■the new students were studying for the bachelor of commerce and administration degree instead of the B.Com. degree, he said. The B.C.A. examinations comprised nine papers, instead of 10 in the 8.C0m., examination, and included mathematics for the first time, he said.

“It’s common for the postprimary schools to send their best students to the arts and science faculties,” said Professor Sidebotham, “and the new degree is of a very high standard. Some of these marginal students sent to the faculty of commerce and administration found the course too difficult.”

The B.C.A. degree, he said, was designed to educate the future leaders of business and administration in New Zealand. But as long as schools sent their poorer students to

the accountancy department, the failure rate was likely to be high. Applications to sit the examinations were refused to 39 students, and only 37 per cent of the 22 who sat had passed.

A Society of Accountants official said the society was concerned at the low percentage of passes, and would do what it could, in Co-operation with the university, to see that the situation was improved.