ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4871, 16 July 1936, Page 4

ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

ELIMINATION OF AGRICULTURE. CRITICISM OF MOVE. The likelihood of repercussions on the district high school courses in the Taranaki district as a result of the recent amendment of the university entrance examination, eliminating after 1937 the subject of agriculture, was pointed out by Mr. D. Mackay, senior instructor in agriculture, in the course of his monthly report to the Taranaki Education Board yesterday. Agriculture is also taught in high schools in this district as a matriculation subject. "At present, the free place regulations, rightly we think, for a community such as ours, makes agriculture compulsory for the boys of our district high schools," Mr. Mackay stated.

"A majority of pupils who remain for more than one year direct their studies to matriculation and the majority of them who will not reach the university, must take the more narrowly prescribed courses. If agriculture is retained, this will cause further extension to the number of classes taught by our already overburdened secondary assistant teachers."

The chairman, Mr. J. A. Valentine, said that the Senate had- the view that the entrance examination was one for them to look to and they considered that the school leaving certificate should cater for the needs of pupils taking agriculture in district high schools. That was the only reason why agriculture should have been cut out. On the chairman's suggestion it was decided to send to the Education Department the statement made by Mr. Mackay. If the department saw that line of difficulty opening up they would be prepared to meet it in the reform of the educational system, which it was hoped was to take place shortly, said Mr. Valentine.