EXAMINATION SYSTEM

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20721, 3 February 1939, Page 9

EXAMINATION SYSTEM

UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE ALTERNATIVE NOT SUPPORTED SENATE CHANCELLOR'S REMARKS (Special to Time*) CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. “'Having regard to schemes that have been in the past considered by the Senate, I am not one of those who believe that a system of recommendation for admission to the university can with advantage be substituted for an examination,” stated the Hon. J. A. Hanan, M.L.C., Chancellor of the New Zealand University Senate, at a mating in Christchurch yesterday. "The late Professor J. MacMillan-Brown, my predecessor, vigorously defended the examinations. He believed that the free passage to talent through all its stages of education should be by means of competition, nature’s chief method of progress. In his opinion the best form to give competition in human societies is a well organised, well managed system of scholarships, which selects at each stage the talents that will profit in the next stage. And the only wholesome system of scholarships is that based on examination. “An eminent educationist, Dr. R. PI. Priestley, who has recently resigned from the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and is now principal of the University of Birmingham, declared that it is essential that the university authorities should have the last word in all questions of fitness for the entrance to the university whether by scholarship or otherwise. On this point no responsible university could ever give way except under constraint. By a generous scholarship system (the receipt of money to be dependent upon proof of need) we can do twice as much, I mean towards attaining our objective, which is to give a worth-while university education to those who can best profit by it. For a free university, as advocated by some, a considerable increase in our yearly Government grant would be needed to replace present fees,” added Mr Hanan. “Wholly Unjustifiable’ 1 Professor Mackenzie, writing in 1925 on the tendencies in latter-day education, had stated with special reference to higher education in New Zealand that the discrediting of examinations as tests of scholastic and intellectual attainment was largely mediocrity’s ad rnisericordiam appeal for itself, its offspring, and its proteges. The rather indiscriminate discrediting of “examinations,” which was so fashionable these days, was, however, almost wholly unjustifiable. There had been a marked disposition in recent times to make thinks easy and pleasant for pupils and students. “Let me now,” said Mr Hanan, “quote a remark of Dr. Norwood: ‘Examinations are the only way as yet known to man for finding out whether a person has or has not certain definite knowledge, which he is supposed to have or required to have. No conceivable method of estimating merit of knowledge by means of interviews, schools’ records or intelligence tests, can possibly replace this process. It is there. We have to make the best of it, as our servant, not our master.’ “Maturity and experience are very important factors in considering the general standard of attainment required for admission to a university course,” continued Mr Hanan. “Because of the immaturity of mind and outlook in so many young students, the question whether the average age of university entrants should be raised to 18 years or thereabouts is deserving of consideration. - At this stage there is better mental digestion and assimilation. The average age of university entrants is 18 years for Scotland, 18.4 for England, 18.2 for Wales, and 18 for the United States. Scandinavian System “Generally speaking, the pre-univer-sity educational system in Scandinavia lasts for twelve years from the age of seven to the age of 19, the last three or four being spent in the gymnasium. This leads to an examination system. It is both the ‘school leaving’ certificate taken by all the pupils in the schools and the entrance qualification for the university, which is conducted by outside examiners (censor's). Incidentally I may say that students, whatever line of study they may choose, have to begin with a general course in philosophy and pass an examination in this subject. This course covers the history of philosophical thinking and psychology. “It must be admitted that our secondary schools have difficulties of their own not unlike those of the university. They are often burdened with pupils who have chosen an unsuitable course and with those who will leave in about a year to take up employment. The remedy for this undesirable state of affairs is intelligent educational guidance applied at the right time. “If 18 years is recognised as the minimum age for admission to a university course following a five-years’ secondary course, it will be necessary to determine at the age of 13 or 13 plus which pupils should take up a course leading to the entrance examination Exploratory Courses “The reorganisation of our education system which proposes to transfer all pupils at the age of 11 plus to intermediate schools is intended to provide exploratory courses as well as to carry on the general education of the pupils for two years. At the end of the period, that is, when the pupils are of the age of 13 plus, the principal of the intermediate school should be able to advise them, if not with finality at least with reasonable confidence, as to what direction their further education should take. He knows each pupil personally, lie lias consulted the parents and has learned their views, he has before him the medical report and the reports and observations of the members of his staff, and he knows the aptitudes of pupil, his predilections in subjects of study, and his preferences as to vocation. “Giving due weight io all these considerations, the principal will advise whether a pupil should take up a special course leading to the university, or a general course leading to the school certificate, and whether the secondary education should be pursued at a technical or at a high school. Tlie principal’s report with his reconimendafion will, of course, be sent to Hie principal of the selected secondary school. “As a fair proportion of the boys and girls will desire to take up em-

ployment as soon as they have completed the compulsory oourse at 14 years, it would manifestly be detrimental to the Interests of such pupils and of the secondary sohool to send them to either a technical or a high school for the short remainder of their schooling. As, further, It appears certain that the leaving age will be raised to 15 years as soon as an adequate supply of teachers and additional accommodation are available, the Education Department should consider the advisability of extending the Intermediate course to four years for the continued education of those who propose to leave school at that age. Such a four-years’ course is in operation in the highly efficient Control Schools of London, and it will be adopted also in the senior schools when the leaving age is raised to 15 years. {These two orders of English schools are of the intermediate type). Subject to Re-adjustment “If the scholastic future of pupils in English schools can be decided at It plus, it should he quite safe to make such a decision for New Zealand boys and girls at 13 plus. In an education system paid for by the State it is fair to ask parents to entrust the direction of their children's education to experienced teachers, and the recommendation of the principal of the intermediate school should be adopted unless very cogent reasons for reversing it can be advanced by the parents. As, however, no one is infallible, the adoption of the recommendation should be subject to re-adjustment at an early stage in the secondary school if it is found to have been mistaken. “Thus, by expert educational guidance, it is hoped that the tragedy of numerous misfits in secondary schools will be averted. It is hoped, too, that educational guidance will be instrumental in inducing parents to give the benefit of secondary education to bright children who would otherwise leave school at the end of the period of compulsory education. “A survey of tlie position shows that the somewhat negative measure of raising the standard of the entrance examination is of itself insufficient to achieve our purpose of improving the quality of the students admitted to tlie university, and thereby increasing !’ic effectiveness of university teaching. 1 hat would be to leave the secondary schools where they are. Specific) action must be taken to classify secondary pupils according to their aptitudes and abilities so that their courses of studies will he within the range of their power. If that is done, the”secondary schools will he able to meet the demands of (lie university and to send up students fully qualified to undertake a degree course of study; but, so long as young people in their early ’teens are put to studies for which they have no aptitude or in which they cannot find satisfaction, so long will there he students entering the halls of the university unfit for the exacting studies that they have undertaken. a disappointment to themselves, and an embarrassment to their teach-'