Matriculation Exam. Should Be Retained

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1938, Page 6

Matriculation Exam. Should Be Retained

-MR. A. R. RYDER

j The need for the retention of the

| University entrance examination was | stressed by the headmaster of the ; Whangarei High. School, Mr A. R. Ryder, when speaking at the annual prize-giving ceremony of the school in the Town Hall on Thursday.

“The University entrance examination, otherwise matriculation, looms largely before the eyes of parents when considering a secondary education for their children." said Mr Ryder.

"To a certain extent Vt is being replaced by ihe school certificate examination, which is controlled by the Education Department, and runs concurrently with matriculation, differing only in a wider choice of subjects, and not including compulsory subjects such as French, science and mathematics.

“Matriculation Fetish.”

“Criticism has been levelled against the so-called ‘matriculation fetish’ and its retention by businessmen as a qualification for application into the commercial and business world. “To a certain extent this criticism holds good, but insofar as the suggested elimination of matriculation as an entry into the university is concerned. I feel critics fail to realise the necessity of a high standard of entrance. ‘‘With the Senate of the New Zealand University lies the responsibility of utilising to the best advantage funds which are provided by the public of this country. The Senate is. in my opinion, fully justified in demanding a high standard of scholastic ability from its undergraduates—in fact, the present standard of matriculation examination is not sufficiently high as an entrance test, and the Average third-year secondary pupil would be unable to pursue a university career successfully. High Standard Still Required. "If the critics of the present system believe in replacement of matriculation by accrediting, a high standard is still required, and it would be necessary for a uniform standard of scholarship to be followed by secondary school principals. “I personally believe the best system' would be a public examination as at present, with the right of a headmaster to recommend the passing of a pupil who had failed in the examination but whose school records had shown a uniformly high standard. “This would eliminate any misfortune due to illness or accident. “I believe, too, that our pupils should learn to face these tests in life. Spoon-Fed Citizens.

‘•There seems to be a tendency nowadays to make everything easy and attractive for the learning child, and teachers are urged to fit themselves in such a way that the children learn with the minimum of effort. “Is not the child under these conditions likely to refrain at times from pulling his weight, and are we not in danger of producing a citizen ready to be spoon-fed rather than making his dutiful effort? “Our aim in education is certainly tc get the best out of our pupils. That does not mean cramming them with knowledge, but giving them a basis for thinking and a zeal for solving problems, so that they will later on be able to make the fullest use of their faculties."