Page image
Page image

E.—IB

26

The figures in the above table compare favourably with those of last year. In Standards 1., 11., 111., and IV. the percentage of passes is sensibly higher. In Standards V. and VI., on the other hand, it has fallen off somewhat. In the lower standards the average age is still far higher than might reasonably be expected. Naturally enough, care is taken to present no one for the First Standard who is not considered well abreast of the work. After allowing for some caution on this account, it is quite evident that the age at which children are presented on the average for Standard I. is much higher than it need be. Plainly, school children make far less progress between the ages of six and nine than they do between nine and fourteen. It seems fair to assume that on the average they enter school at the age of six years. This will allow them three years to work up to the First Standard—a period wholly out of proportion to the amount of work to be done. With fairly skilful teaching, the ground to be covered should be got over in half that time. In the larger schools there are difficulties which tend to retard progress, such as the largeness of the classes, and the too general employment of untrained pupilteachers. But, with good and vigorous management, these could be largely, if not wholly, overcome. I can see no reason why, in large schools such as those in and around Dunedin, in Oamaru, Milton, Port Chalmers, &c, pupils should not pass Standard I. at the average age of eight years, or even less. In the smaller rural schools much more serious obstacles stand in the way of rapid progress at this early stage. The teacher's time is so cut up by the bewildering number of lessons that must be taught separately, that he cannot give to the classes below Standard I. the attention that is necessary for good progress. If the system of examination prescribed by the regulations of the department were less elaborate, and allowed Inspectors time to conduct a brief examination of the classes below Standard 1., some improvement on the present state of things might be looked for with confidence. With the present staff of Inspectors such a brief examination can seldom be undertaken in this district, and without it there will be great difficulty in stirring up infant-room teachers and their assistants from the apathy into which they have been sinking. Under such a stimulus as even partial payment by results, lam confident that the ages at which children are presented for Standards 1., 11., and 111. could be greatly and speedily reduced. It is gratifying to find that the number of pupils presented in Standard VI. is much greater than it was last year, and that the number of schools in which a Sixth-Standard class has been taught is also somewhat greater than in former years. It may not be unnecessary to explain that Mr Taylor and I have never allowed any pupil to be examined a second time in standards already passed. We have also required every pupil above Standard I. to be presented for a standard higher than that which he had last passed. Some teachers have wished to take advantage of the permission apparently given in an official note to section 2 of the " Standards of Education and Inspection of Schools," to present pupils a second time in a standard which they had already passed. That note, as I understand it, appears to annul that part of the Order in Council which says, "No scholar shall be examined in a standard which he has already passed." To this clause of the Order in Council we have strictly adhered, and the note we have felt constrained to ignore. I have thought it needful to point out clearly what our practice has been with regard to this matter, as I have reason to believe that in several parts of the colony a different course has been followed ; in which case it will be most unfair to institute comparisons between the examination results of such parts of the colony and those of the Otago District. The statistics in the two cases mean very different things. I should be very sorry to see the teachers of New Zealand intrusted with a discretionary power to present pupils a second time for examination in a standard which they have already passed. It is a power that would almost inevitably lead to gross abuses, and could be used so as to give dishonest and lazy teachers an advantage over those who were more honest and diligent. It is impossible for any Inspector to tell, whether the reasons adduced to justify such a step are valid. How can an Inspector tell whether the pupil's backward condition is due to his being " not so well grounded in the work of the standard last passed as he appeared to be," or to his mental power being below the average, rather than to bad teaching or neglect. There seems to be no particular hardship in requiring every child to come forward for a higher standard than that which he has last passed. If he has been ill, or badly grounded, or irregular in attendance, or is of inferior mental power, neither he, nor his teacher, nor his parents, need be disappointed if he fails to pass ; it is only what might be expected. If the pupil is very likely to fail, the parent can withhold him from examination, and so solve the difficulty without further trouble. Good reasons could, I believe, be given for fixing a certain attendance limit, such that all who made the specified number of attendances should be required to come forward for examination in the next higher standard to that last passed, while teachers could exercise their own discretion in presenting for the same ordeal any who had not made the specified number of attendances. Such a plan would be definite, and would not allow the same scope for abuse and imposition.

Standard. Presented. Passed. Failed. Percentage. 4.verage Age. No. of Schools at which Standards were represented. itandard I. „ II. „ III. „ IV. ,. v. „ VI. 741 692 1,628 1,046 569 259 1,436 1,455 1,211 739 389 187 305 237 417 307 180 72 82 86 74 71 68 72 Yrs. mos. 9 1 10 6 11 9 12 7 13 6 14 3 G8 68 67 G3 49 30

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert