Proficiency Examination

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 24, 23 October 1936, Page 11

Proficiency Examination

Sir, —The displacing of the proficiency certificate and the giving of power to the headmaster to say whether a pupil’s general record entitles him to go forward to the secondary school stage of his education will surely do a grave injustice to numerous scholars.

To explain that statement I should say that the injustice will be caused through favouritism. It is many years since I went to school, but I remember that although I could top the class in most subjects I was obliged to sit for my. proficiency certificate while others —in the same class —were recommended and did not have to sit the examination. And why was that? Because I was then (and still am) too bumptious—too self-reliant, too poor at sport—and therefore not as popular with the masters as I would have been had I been what was called in those days “a crawler.” Likewise, the crack athlete of the school is . always sure of favouritism by the teaching staff, no matter what his ability is in the classroom. These statements will probably be ridiculed bv school teachers, but I have seen such things happen in several schools, and, although it may not apply to all schools, it is far better to have an examination system where an outside, examiner passes his opinion on the merits of the pupil.—l am. etc., EXAMS. Wellington, October 22.