“SERIOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS”

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 4

“SERIOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS”

ERROR IN MARKING PAPERS

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE , EXAMINATION PROTEST TO BE MADE TO MINISTER “This is a serious state of affairs,” declared a member of the Southland High Schools’ Board at the meeting yesterday when complaints about the incorrect marking of examination papers, made by the rector of the Southland Boys’ High School (Dr G. H. Uttley) and the lady principal of the Southland Girls’ High School (Miss A. Eastwood), were read.

Instances were contained in the reports of pupils having been marked “failed” and later having been advised that they had passed the examination. Four boys and four girls were affected, three boys and one girl being granted passes. One boy, after a recount, had his arithmetic marks raised from none to 45. REPORTED “FAILED” “At least three of our boys who were reported as having failed at the University Entrance examination have now been passed,” wrote the rector. “The text of the notice received by each of the boys was as follows: — “ ‘A scrutiny of the scripts in Entrance Arithmetic having shown errors in marking the University decided that the scripts in arithmetic of all candidates, whose results might have been affected, should be remarked. The re-marking and scaling have resulted in the passing of some candidates previously reported as

failing.’ “This notice was received towards the end of March and the work of the boys has been seriously affected,” stated the rector. “They had recommenced their studies in the fifth form and have now been transferred to the sixth form, where they are more than six weeks behind their class-mates. It is rather disturbing that this sort of thing should be possible. “In the examination of the arithmetic papers one boy had 13 marks added, another 15 marks and a third 22 marks out of a total of 100 marks. Another boy who has now applied for a rec ~unt of his marks in another subject, and who had been failed in arithmetic actually had his marks for that subject raised from none to 45.”

PROTEST REQUESTED

“At the end of March information was received that a revision of the matriculation papers in arithmetic had resulted in the award of additional marks in this subject to four candidates,” wrote Miss Eastwood. “This meant that one girl who before had failed in matriculation w’as now granted a pass and as a result she moved from the fifth to the sixth form. She thus missed more than half a term’s work in the sixth. I think the board will agree that a protesi about the marking should be made to the University authorities.” “It is not the first time that that sort of thing has occurred,” remarked Mr F. G. Stevenson.

“It is a serious state of affairs,” said Mr W. Bell. “We should draw the attention of the University Council to the matter and make a strong protest to the Department of Education.” Mr H. Ritchie agreed that a protest should be made. “This sort of thing may alter a child’s career,” he said. It was agreed to send a letter of protest to the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) and to send a copy of the letter to the Director of Education.