THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 173, 31 October 1910, Page 5

THE TEACHING PROFESSION

COST OF EXAMINATIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Nig.ht. Replying to the Rev. Eraser's statements, published in the Duncdin Star, that pupil teachers drawing small salaries have to pay excessive fees for their necessary qualifying examinations; that pupil teachers are compelled to sit for the Civil Service examination, for which they are charged an exorbitant fee; and that the Department of Education took £4OOO for students' examinations, the Hon. D. Buddo gives the facts briefly ai follows:—'

The Department hold examinations from November to January. In November, December and January last there were over 7000 candidates for these examinations, of whom 650S actually sat. Of these, -2214 were candidates for junior. National and Education Board junior scholarships and free places. Formerly education boards held their own separate examinations, paying the expenses out of their own funds. Now the Department holds a general examination for junior scholarships and pays the ex-' penses. Neither the boards nor the candidates were being charged. Last time 2369 sat for the Civil Service junior scholarships, free places and pupil teachers, these being in two grades, competitive and non-competitive, the candidates for the senior free places and pupil teachers taking the latter, for which a fee 'was charged. No fee was charged for education board senior scholarships, the only candidates paying being those for entrance to the public service, who pay £l. No pupil teacher need pay the fee unless he chooses to be a candidate for entrance to the public service. A candidate for probationership can qualify by passing the intermediate examination, for which there is no fee. Candidates desiring entrance to a training college must matriculate, or obtain a partial certificate. The fee for the former is two guineas, payable to the New Zealand University. A fee is charged for the latter (£1) and this was insufficient to cover the cost of the examination. The last series of examinations are for D., C. and B. cetrificates, and Civil Service senior. For the former 1(575 entered and 1452 sat, many taking both the C.and D. papers, paying fees for both. The total fees paid by the 1075 candidates was £lfisS 2s Od, not £4OOO, as Mr. Eraser had stated. It was the head teacher's duty to give suitable and regular instruction to pupil teachers and probationers.