IRREGULAR EXAMINATION

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1932, Page 4

IRREGULAR EXAMINATION

SCHOOL TEACHER CENSURED “GRAVE DERELICTION OF DUTY.” VIEWS OF THE EDUCATION BOARD. A Taranaki primary school teacher was severely censured by the Taranpki Education Board yesterday for not conducting the recent synchronous proficiency examination in accordance with the conditions required by the Education Department for all New Zealand schools. The board passed a fndtion, “that the teacher concerned.be infornjed that the board takes a serious view of his grave dereliction of duty in connection with the proficiency examinaridn and expresses surprise that any teacher should show such a poor sense of his responsibilities.” . ... ; The proficiency examination this year was held on the same day throughout New Zealand in the same way as all other examinations are held and was required to be Completed within the one day. It was reported to the board,that a country teacher failed to hold the complete examination on the required day. but continued it over a period of several days. The synchronous examination was one of the finest developments in primary school examination methods during recent years, said Mr. J. A. Henry, senior inspector for the Taranaki education district. It had resulted in a saving to the country of thousands of pounds each year. But it had to be conducted properly and any departure by a teacher from the regulations broke down the existing system, detracted from its value and tended to throw it into disrepute. Other members of the board spoke strongly on the matter. Though' they were discussing the offence in' committee they stated the facts- should be made public so that it should be known the board was fully cognisant of the position and so that the board’s views on the matter should be known. When the board resumed open meeting the chairman, Mr. S. G. Stoith, M.P., stated that the board would not tolerate such action on the part of any of< the teachers under its jurisdiction and any future offence would be dealt with more severely.