MATRICULATION TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20563, 14 May 1930, Page 12

MATRICULATION TEST.

" ILLUSIONARY HALLMARK."

TIME AND EFFORT WASTED.

CHANCE IN SYSTEM URGED,

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

"One cannot but feel that until our curriculum is freed from the dominating influence of the matriculation examination there is little hope that the study of real things will receive the support that it should from many of the children," said Mr. \V. Eraser (Hamilton), president of the New Zealand Technical School Teachers' Association, in his address to the conference which opened in the Technical College, Mount Cook, today.

Speaking in support of the widening of the {tost primary curriculum Mr. Eraser said that no attempt to give the education system a more practical bent would l>e successful which did not do something to remove the. matriculation examination from the pedestal on which it. stood in New Zealand. "Parents aro obsessed with the idea that their children can get, nowhere unless they matriculate," lie said. "Employers demand matriculation as a standard of general education. Go jrnment departments in many cases require matriculation as a stepping stone to promotion. The Accountants' Preliminary. "Wo find tho Accountants' Society priding itself that it was raising tho status of its examination by discarding tho accountants' preliminary and adopting matriculation as its entrance examination. Tho university authorities cannot bo reproached. Tlicy are entitled to instituo any entrance examination which suits their requirements. What does concern us is the enormous amount of time and effort that is being wasted in pursuit of tho illusionary belief that matriculation is the hallmark of a general education.

"A study of the destination of 10,000 pupils who left post primary schools in 1928 shows that 2A per cent, went direct to tho university, another per cent, took up teaching and of these the majority probably received some university training. Add 2 per cent, for those who went in for law and commerce and who were likely to attend the university and we find that about 1000 out of 10.000 pupils really required the university entrance examination. Let us look elsewhere and we find that in tho same year no less than 5524 candidates sat for matriculation. Of these 1824 passed, approximately 33 per cent. Leaving Certificate Suggested.

"Take irilo consideration also the number who started their post primary education in 1924 or 1925 with matriculation in view and who fell out by the way and one can realise tho appalling dissipation of effort that matriculation is producing in this country. The whole truth of tho matter is that the university entrance has acquired a false prestige as a leaving certificate representing a certain standard of education. The time seems ripe for tfie institution by the department of a leaving certificate of a similar standard but suitable for all types of schools!

"To make this effective and to destroy the use of matriculation for this purpose it might be necessary to persuade the university authorities to allow credit in tho university entrance examination only to those who guarantee to make use of a pass in this examination for the purpose for which it is intended. That ths> department is capable of drafting a programme of work suitable for all types of schools is evident from perusal of tho courses laid down for the Intermediate Certificate and Public Service Entrance Examination. '*