THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3270, 9 November 1928, Page 4

THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM.

'' I believe, though the time is not yet, that the right course will be to abolish all external'examination for the average boy and girl, though leaving it as an avenue to the universities and the professions," said Dr. Cyril Norwood, headmaster of Harrow School, at the British Association meeting. "In the ease of the average boy and girl the properly inspected and efficient school will issue its own certificate that A or B has attended for four or six years as the case may be, and has reached a satisfactory level of performance. The power to make such an award implies a high standard of professional honour, and perhaps a higher level of efficiency than yet exists, but it would enable the schools to teach a pupil what he could learn, to" teach him in the right way, and not drive him in the wrong way to a wrong standard." Referring to the great number of candidates for school certificates in Britain, and the magnitude of the examination "work, Dr. Norwood said the mere size and complication of the examination system will tend to break it down. "Certainly the question will become acute, wheI ther so great an effort will be repaid jby any advantage which ' can acerue (from the issue of tens of thousands of certificates each year, certificates whieh state that the holders have in effect reached a very moderate standard of knowledge, such as you might expect from an average person of their years. Would not the issue of a similar statement by a responsible school have a precisely equal value?"