SOME AMENDMENTS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 98, 19 January 1933, Page 6

SOME AMENDMENTS

University Entrance ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS For Leaving Certificate Some important recommendations in regard to the University Entrance (matriculation) examination were approved by the New Zealand University Senate at its annual meeting yesterday, when a report of the Academic Board was presented. The senate approved of a proposal to hold a school-leaving examination in conjunction with the entrance examination, and that for tlie purposes of a school-leaving certificate, which would be granted by the Education Department, the following subjects would be added to those of the present entrance examination: — Arithmetic, technical drawing, economics, book-keeping, shorthand and typing, needlework, housecraft, handicraft, technical electricity (alternative to electricity and magnetism), heat engines (alternative to heat and light), physiology and hygiene, and general biology (alternative to botany). The vice-chancellor, Professor T. A. Hunter, explained that the . additional subjects were provided for the benefit of scholars who desired some form of leaving certificate, but who did not want to enter a university. The examination would be conducted by the university, but the leaving certificate would be granted by the Education Department. The proposal had yet to be accented finally by tlie department, and when accepted would take some time to work out. Sought For Some Years. Mr. W. J. Morrell said that the setting up of a leaving certificate was what tlie secondary schools had been seeking for some years past. He had no doubt that a satisfactory system could be worked out to bring it into operation, and moreover he thought many candidates would substitute it for matriculation. Schools had tried in many instances to deter pupils from sitting for matriculation in the past, but so long as there was no alternative examination, parents and pupils wanted Io enter for it. Dr. W. Newlands said that one of the objects in separating the leaving from tlie matriculation examination was that the university might be able to raise the standard of the latter. If the standard of tlie leaving was to be kept up to that of matriculation, then that object might, not be achieved. The vice-chancellor said that that aspect was not lost sight of when the change was being considered. It was desirous to take a higher standard for entrance than leaving in certain fundamental subjects, but. it was felt when a big change was being made, it would be wise to do only one thing ata time. “This Is the first step to raising the standard of the entrance examination,” the vice-chancellor said. Conflicting Views. Mr. L. J. Wild said that lie had hoped that the department, would have devised its own system of examination, and that the senate would have accepted it for entrance purposes. “If we are to have any examinations at all in the secondary schools,” he said, “then the examinations should be conducted by the schools themselves —by school boards.” Professor J. Rankiue Brown said that the proposal showed that, the university had failed in what, it bad tried to do for many years: that was, its aim to grant university entrance on the work during a set. time in the schools themselves, and not by set examination. It did not. get away from the danger of examinations in the schools. The pro-chancellor, Hon. J. A. Hanan, said that, complaint had been made that tlie schools were dominated by examinations. “Will this not provide a freer opportunity for work to be done in secondary schools that will be recognised and not entirely dominated by ns?” lie asked. The vice-chancellor said that the new scheme eliminated the possibility of pupils having to sit two examinations, entrance and leaving. He did not know whether the department would agree to the proposal, but the senate had done what it could to prevent two examinations having to be sat. The senate approved of the proposals. Other Recommendations. The following recommendations were also adopted in regard to examination: That school teachers may be appointed as examiners for entrance provided they take no part in setting the paper, and that they do not mark the scrips from their own districts. Zoology, as alternative to botany, be added to the list of entrance scholarships subjects. That it be an instruction to examiners that in cases where there has been a material misprint or mistake in a paper, tlie examiner shall send to the senate a report stating the nature of the misprint or mistake, its effect on the answers of tlie question involved, and the steps taken to minimise it. . That after 1935 the diploma in social science be abolished. That the names of examiners be not printed on the papers for entrance and entrance scholarships.