PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6142, 28 July 1921, Page 6

PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS.

QUALITY OF PAPERS POOR,

WELLINGTON, July 27. Tlie examiners who tested candiI dates at the last National Scholarship examinations report very unfavorably on the quality of the work. One examiner says: All the papers in the Public Service and Senior National scholarships were poor, showing bad spelling and grammatical ignorance? Geography is another weakness. Tlie answers given indicated that more time is given to the study of other parts of the Empire than our own country. Although teachers are required to certify that a candidate has a reasonable chance, of passing, a number of pupils were presented who had no hope of success. The candidates generally were entirely ignorant of elementary facts relating to the history of settlement in New Zealand. The arithmetic was weak, and few papers were well done. Many answers were so ridiculous as to prove the teaching had done little to cultivate the reasoning powers of the pupil. The examiners’ report on the pupil teachers’ examiners for class D certificates and the public service senior examination show that grave faults are equally obvious in the higher divisions.—P.A.