School Examinations.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 4, 30 September 1907, Page 5

School Examinations.

<A SENSIBLE PROPOSAL. Tho synchronous examination of schools throughout; the Dominion : s an ideal the realisation of which has hitherto been impossible by reason of tho .-pLvsical limitations of sclioolinspectOiSs, regulations and the Departmental point- of ' view, Events, . however, have been slowly making'.for-reform, in .this direction. At thoOnspectoi's',: .Conference iii Wellington",so'jjie $imQ;.ago,.a Tosoltt-' tion was passed recommending tho of-simultaneous, school •exahfinatidhs. *• pftst two you're"the Wellington' : Education Fioard has gradually been introducing this'much-needed reform,'but its nraisowortby cxamplo has not been followed by the other Boards of the Dominion, and it was with a viow ho inviting the eo-operation of those Boards in the matter that Mr. A. H. Vile, at Friday's' "meeting 'of tho. Wellington Education Board, moved I "That in the' opinion of bhis Board, it is desirable that the. Kducation sßoiirdsi ' : j of', --.tho-i,. Colony should arrange r Fof. a synclironoiis "examination of tho sixth standard pupils in the-primary schools of the colony in tho month of December."' Capt. T. W. McDonald seconded. Mr. Fleming explained the position, pointing out' that.: very I'greatVhardship was often inflicted;; on.', children who removed from oik to another. The difference in' the dates of the fedUool'.' examinations in the repcctivo districts might bo very great, and very often .the children ; -werpj kept back, n serious ' matter, when the ago limit, for, proficiency, certificates w(is ,• taken ' into, • hcejiunt. He instanced'tho Newtown School, Whore,' out of 1000 pupils oxamincd, one-half wero entirely now from other districts. There was no real difficulty in the ijyiT v XI I ,P li.Qnfl, tfiaclie.rs, would, conduct'.' tfife, examinations and'" would, bo ompowercil-' '• t-o pronVoto - their classes. AifefFcctivo check, on those examinations could easily be kept by withholding tho Standard VI. prougtih -the -date < <)f ■ the • Inspector's visit. * If 'lie 'were satisfied, tho certificates would bo issued. Meanwhilo, ho timo would' havo been lost- by the scholars. With tho exception of Standard VI., full authority hadi-al-roody -rbcen-- yost-od. by teachers. Tho only difficulty was tho examination, Standard VI. in the country "schools, and ho suggcjvcd that tligrfv.rcas.,.nothing. ,t0... prevent the 'Of tlibso' fich l-i's.' from examining, as tho check referred to would effoetuallyi-prevent abuse of the privilege.

Mr Hdgg'"Buggest'etl that "simultaneous" might bo substituttcd for "synchronous," and the motion, thus amended, was carried unanimously.