ACCREDITING OF PUPILS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22529, 13 March 1943, Page 4

ACCREDITING OF PUPILS

Secondary Education Examination Bondage To Be Removed OAMARU, Match 12. Freedom from the bondage of examinations will be granted to secondary education in this country as from the end of this year, according to a statement made by the Rector, Mr F. Milner, in nis monthly report to the Waitak* High Schools’ Board yesterday. While in Wellington recently on Army Education business, said -Mr Milner, he discussed with the Director of Education, Dr. C. E. Beeby, the implications of the accrediting policy. Though long overdue this move was so sweeping and revolutionary as to demand special reference. He was assured both by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Sir Thomas Hunter, and by the Director of Education that from the end of this year, secondary education would be freed from all its prescriptive examinational bondage. From the infant department right through to university entrance no examinational test whatever would be Imposed with the single exception of the School Certificate Examination. This would be taken normally in the third year of a post-primary course. This test required English and any four options from the whole postprimary curriculum. Thus it inaugurated a policy of parity for all sides of a multilateral school like Waitaki. It hampered no course, no matter how realistic and vocational. Moreover, after this year 1:0 secondary school pupil would be compelled to offer either a foreign language or mathematics for matriculation. All that was required was for a pupil after passing school certificate to go on an approved advanced and specialised course. For the first time in their history this enlightened policy admitted of full justice being done to the basic needs of liberal secondary education, viz., English (oral or written), social studies (history and geography), general science (chemistry, physics and biology, physiology (with health and first aid)i arithmetic (including mensuration), physical training, singing and appreciation of music) and a tryout for all in wit and manual wofk.

Such a group of subjects constituted a core of humanism and liberalism to which might be added, as a pupil’s diagnosed aptitude and ability dictated, such pre-vocational options as agriculture, foreign languages, mathematics, commercial work, engineering, woodwork and fine arts. He was assured by the highest authority that external professional bodies such as the General Medical Council would not be allowed to nullify this policy, but would be required to accept matriclation as interpreted in the new Educational Magna Charta. The prospect was, to his mind, an inspiring one. He believed in education—not in examinations. The latter should follow the curriculum—not arbitrarily determine it. An annual audit was all right, but not if imposed by an external body until its findings were venerated as Holy Writ by a gulled public. Hitherto secondary education had suffered martyrdom through this perverted fetish “I consider the new procedure a real emancipation, and I look forward to an era of educational elasticity and liberalism,” Mr Milner concluded.