"INOPPORTUNE"

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 9, 11 July 1917, Page 9

"INOPPORTUNE"

STANDARD OF INTERMEDIATE EXAMINATIONS

MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION.

The Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) said to a Post reporter to-day that his attention,had been drawn to a telegram from Auckland in which Mr. Tibbls, headmaster of the Boys' Grammar School, is credited -with.having said tJaat the.. Education Department has just framed new regulations for the intermediate examination, that lie. could not understand why the standard of this examination had been raised at this inopportune- time, when so many assistant ■teachers' being absent on active service, it was very difficult to carry on the work of the school, and'that the action of the • Department was very detrimental to the public interest at this juncture. The Minister explained that a pasls in the intermediate examination is one of the qualification's for a senior free place in a secondary school, and that after two or three years' free education in such a school pupils must cither pass this examination or show that they have reached an equivalent standard before their free education is .continued. As, however, no change whatever. had been made in the requirements for the intermediate examination, it was difficult ■to understand the [Statement) credited to Mr. Tibbs. The only explanation the Minister could offer was that probably the remarks referred' to the fact that last year, owing, inter alia, to a shortage on the inspecting staff, candidates for senior free places were required ta sit for examination, and. the practice of awarding many of these free places on the recommendation of the principals of secondary schools supported by "a report of a secondary school, inspector was sus- j pended for a time. This change, how- i ever, should make little difference to the teaching in the schools, because/ principals were expected to recommend for senior free places only those who in their opinion had reached such a standard that they were capable of passing the examination. Doubtful applicants for senior free places were expected to be excluded from the lists <if those recommended and fo be required to sit in whole or in part.for the intermediate examination, and thus to justify, if possible, their claims for further free secondary: education. Further, ■it had been decided this year, now that two inspectors were available for the work of .. investigating the instruction in the secondary schools, to revert with some safeguards to the system of considering the recommendations of principals for the awa.rd of. senior free places without examination. It must,' therefore/ be, emphatically pointed out that in no way had the standard required for the intermediate examination been raised, and that in no way, so far as tho Minister or his officers are aware, was any action of the Department likely to add to the difficulties of tho teachers of secondary schools, so long as their work was carried out efficiently and with due regard to the needs of the community. x There are, however, certain reforms in the curriculum of secondary schools proposed, with the view of ensuring that the ' State will get better value for its money, tlint'the Minister cbnsidei-s-should not be long delayed and that should be put into practice as soon as possible, but of these <luo notice will be given.