ADMISSION TOO EASY?

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 5

ADMISSION TOO EASY?

"I ;iih in opposition to the system by which every child which can got a proficiency certificate is enabled to go to it secondary school for three years," said Mr. J. J. Dougali to v "Lyttelton Times" reporter. Only a very few of the boys and girls went through the full period, lie said; the greater numbor left after a year or so. Often they were kept till 17 or IS years oi' age, at which time .they had passed the stage when they could enter a trade or ordinary business. No one could take on boys of their age, when regulations required that they should be paid according to age. The result was that many could not get employment at all. "The expense is enormous," said Mr. Dougali, "and the result is certainly not in accord with the cost of keeping the child at a secondary school. As th'o great bulk of these children have no desire to enter any profession requiring University training, they are put out into the world only half educated. ' They arc over-educated for some things, and not sufficiently educated for others." He thought it was a general opinion that everyone wished to see the rising generation get a good education, but instead of proficiency certificates he would like to sco bursaries given to qualified children, and the examination for the bursary should be of a higher standard than that of the proficiency certificate.