OFFICE JUNIORS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20342, 27 June 1934, Page 8

OFFICE JUNIORS.

Matriculation Not Needed, Says Speaker. EXAMINATIONS “A CURSE.” (Special to the “ Star.”) DUNEDIN, June 27. Whether the matriculation examination is regarded as the standard of attainment when boys are being employed was a question discussed at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. One business man said that the commercial community itself was to blame for the matriculation examination having assumed its present position, because for years boys, in nine cases out of ten, were asked when applying for positions if they had passed their matriculation. The matriculation course was four years, but he was satisfied that boys after two years at a high school were quite satisfactory for a commercial office. It had become an obsession with manv business men that they would not emnloy a boy unless he had matriculated. From the primary school up examinations were a curse. Another speaker said that the weakness in commercial education was that many typists and iuniors entered offices with a knowledge of typewriting and shorthand, but with a deficiency, in English and arithmetic. His experience was that accountancy firms insisted on matriculation students, but large business firms did not. That there was a need for a practical examination of a lower standard was the general feeling of the meeting Fairer Test of Capacity Suggested. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 27. The Wellington College Beard of Governors yesterday afternoon supported the recommendation of the principal of the boys’ school (Mr W. A. Armour) that school certificate examinations based on a satisfactory course would give business men a fairer gauge of a boy’s capacity and attainments when applying for work than was afforded by matriculation. Mr Armour said that nine-tenths of the pupils did not go on to the University. Certificate examinations, specially designed to meet the wider needs of pupils preparing for avenues of employment along non-academic lines were what Mr Armour suggested.