University Entrance Examinations

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 14, 17 January 1941, Page 6

University Entrance Examinations

ACCREDITING SCHEME OBJECTED TO Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. IC. A feeling that lhe accrediting scheme for the university examination put forward by the New Zealand University Senate showed a lack of trust in secondary schools was expressed by Mr. E. N. Hogben, president of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Association, at a meeting of the University Senate. Mr. Hogben headed a deputation from the association which sought to place before the senate its views on the accrediting system and an outlino of the plan favoured by the schools. He was accompanied by Miss E. M. North, principal of the Wellington Girls’ College, and Mr. G. W. Morice, of the Wairarapa College. While stating that the deputation did not question the university’s right to decide who should enter its colleges,. Mr. Hogben said he felt there was not enough co-operation between the university and secondary schools. He pointed out that only 10 per cent, of the pupils of poet-primary schools actually entered upon university careers, so that while the Senate felt concerned about the standard of those entering the colleges, the schools had the much larger problem of those who took a classical course without a real interest or aptitiude for it. The plan favoured by secondary schools, he continued, was for an examination on the lines of the school certificate test and of a standard at least as high to be taken at the end of three or four years, followed by another year’s or two years’ work. The scheme went half-way to accrediting for admission to the universit}', which would be granted when tho university liaison officers, inspectors and headmaster considered the pupil had reached a satisfactory standard in post certificate work. The school certificate examination would be conducted by a board composed of representatives of the Education Board, University Senate and post-primary schools. Admitting that the attitude of secondary school to accrediting had changed over the past few years Mr. Hogben said many matters had come up to bring this about. Under existing circumstances, however, it was not considered vital to replace entirely the universtiy entrance examination as ii stood at present. In spite of all the efforts of headmasters the school certificate examination had not succeeded in winning an equal place with the university entrance as a qualification either with parents or employers as a whole and consequently the narrower syllabus of the university entrance was still favoured in most cases. One of the main points raised by Mr. Morice in liis criticism of the Senate’s scheme was the objection to the drawing up of a list of approved schools in which accrediting would be carried out This, he declared, was undemocratic. Mr. F. A. de la Mare considered the only actual difference between the Senate’s scheme? and that put forward by the deputation seemed to be that the deputation favoured an examination at the end of the third year while the Senate left it to schools to assess the standard of attainment. EARLIER RELEASE OF AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. 16. With the earlier correction of examination papers owing to the marking being done in Australia aud New Zealand in the case of those subjects which are usually sent to England, the final university results and awards of scholarships will be available much earlier this year. It was stated at the sessions of the University Senate that it might be able to have a sitting to consider scholarships awards as early as February 21. This will be further discussed at the sessions, as well as the question where the papfrs will be marked and set for examinations at the end of this year.