SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 189, 9 May 1934, Page 7

SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

Merits of Award Stressed by Education Director ADVICE TO TEACHERS An appeal to teachers to see that both in and out of their schools nothing was done that would have even the tendency to place the school certificate examination on a lower plane than matriculation, was made by the Director of Education, Mr. N. T. Lambourne, in an address to the annual conference of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Association yesterday. The institution of the school certificate examination was perhaps the greatest advance made during the year, Mr. Lambourne said. The certificate would indicate a degree of mental ability, aptitude and diligence, and of general education as high as that of the so-called matriculation, but the pupil would have the opportunity of reaching this standard in subjects in which he was interested, and for which he had an inclination. “If in your schools or out of them," he said, “you give the impression that the certificate is easier to get than the university entrance, or that it represents a type of ability lower than that . represented by matriculation, then the certificates are doomed. If in your schools you discriminate in your classes between those who are taking the university entrance and those who are taking the school certificate, the children and their parents will be very quick to realise you are offering them something you don’t consider to be as good as matriculation, and you will reach the same position as we have reached in the primary schools in connection with proficiency and competency.

“Those of yon who have had anything to do with primary schools have often seen the look of disappointment upon the face of a child when he is told he has a competency certificate. He doesn’t want it It is not held in high esteem by anyone, although it carries considerable privileges in the matter of free education. The teachers themselves are largely to blame because they have depreciated the competency certificate in the eyes of their pupils and of their parents. lam asking you at this stage if yon will see that in your schools nothing is done that will have even the tendency to place the certificate on a lower plane than matriculation.”

Mr. Lambourne said he would like to thank many of the principals for the good work they had already done outside their schools in educating public opinion in regard to the merits of the certificate.