EXAMINATION RESULTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13834, 22 February 1907, Page 7

EXAMINATION RESULTS.

Sir,—ln reply to Mr Allen's letter, permit mo to offor the following explanation concerning the' national scholarship lists. Tho national scholarship papers aro used as a test for allotting national scholarships, board scholarships, and Queen's scholarships. Each Education Board makes its own regulations, with the rosult that in tho North Island, with one exception, the age fpr tho hoard scholarships is 14 years, whereas in Otago the ago is 13 years or W years, according to the class of school. Consequently, as Dr Anderson, Assistant Inspector-general, stated to tho represent!* tivo of tho New Zealand Times, "as tho lists do not show tho ages of tho candidates, any comparison ■ would bo misleading." Again, all tho Education boards' of tho North Island use the departmental test, but in tho South Island four boards—viz., North Canterbury, Wcstlanil, Grey, and Nelson do not, consequently there, are many more candidates from tho North Island than from tho South Island. Moreover, at most of the High Schools of tho South Island admit to free places on the proficiency certificate there is now no necessity for so many, candidates to tacklo tho scholarship examination in the getting free education. In tho Nortlfflffilimd, on tho contrary, some of tho secondary schools do not admit to free places under these conditions, with the result that a largo number aro forced into tho scholarship examination as a, means of securing admission. In Duncdin, boforo tho institution of tho present frec-placo system, from 50_ to 60 per cent, of tho scholarship competitors camo from our city and suburban schools, most of them not with tho expectation "of gaining scholarships, but with the hopo of getting a free placo. Last year, however, not 16 per cont. of the candidates came from these schools, this being tho result of the improved facilities for admission to freo places at tho High School,

Now, Sir, from these and other circumstances it will rightly bo inferred that (to quoto Dr Anderson) "the order of merit cannot form any basis of comparison of tho standard of education as between the different education districts on account of the disparity of ago" and of number of competitors.

In conclusion, and in justice) to our teachers, I havo no hesitation in affirming that tho goncral character of the work in thoso schools of which I have knowledge is ae high as it ever has boon, and that the success of a few* pupils at «>mo competitive examination is no criterion whatever of tho general quality of education in any district—l am, etc., 0. R. BOSSENCE. Education Office, Duncdin, February 14.