Page 9 - 1973 News Clippings

Some of the main DISADVANTAGES However it is the
advantages and disad- • The possible loss of questions associated with
vantages of full internal motivation on the part of comparability of standards
assessment for school both teachers and pupils that must be grappled with to
certificate have been: because of the loss of a ensure a greater acceptance
direct and obvious goal. of the principle of internal
ADVANTAGES assessment.

• A pupil would be assessed • Principals and teachers If school certificate is to
on the results of at least a would be exposed to the continue as a basis for
dissatisfaction of parents national
year’s work and not on the comparison of
results of a single and pupils who might not pupils and internal
agree with the assessments assessment is introduced
examination taken at a given.
fixed time. then there may still be a
system
of
nationally
• Desirable traits and • A useful means of ensuring developed tests.
qualities, for example, compatibility of standards
between schools would be
practical skills, oral skills, lost if the external
work habits, attitude, examination was replaced
adaptability and inventive- by internal assessment.
ness which are difficult to
measure by external • Because the national
examination could be standards and compat- Ngaruawahia H.S.
taken into account in a ibility of standards
system of internal between schools might be Athletics Meeting
assessment. difficult to maintain, the a Record Day

• A powerful cause of the public, particularly parents
sense of failure in the and employers, would 21st March 1973
question the reliability of
minds of many pupils internal assessment. The Ngaruawahia High
would be removed along School had their most
with the external exam. • Common national require- successful athletic sports
• Fifth form syllabuses could ments which now apply to meeting on March 7, and 9,
school 1973. Running the field
secondary
the
become more flexible and curriculum up to the end of events and the heats for the
could be adapted to suit the the fifth form, would no track events on March 7, it
needs of pupils, partic- longer be reinforced by the was found that 19 new
ularly those at the top and requirements of an external records had been set with a
bottom of the range. examination. further 12 going on March 9,

• Pupils and parents who • The reliability of sixth in the track finals.
find difficulty in form national awards made Ian Greig bettered his
withstanding the stead by internal assessment old mark of 1.72 metres in
build-up of tension that would be weakened. the high jump to leap 1.75
takes place prior to their metres. He also set the senior
first involvement in a UNRELIABLE boys triple jump mark at a
national examination, and Those who are involved new distance of 11.82
those pupils who become with external examinations metres.
emotionally unstable know that standards change Wayne Brennan took
during examinations will from time to time, that there over 14 seconds off the
be relieved to some extent. may be little comparability junior boys 1500m, with

• Teachers would become of standards between Miss D. Clancy carving 29.8
professionally involved in subjects, that markers are seconds off the junior girls
the assessing of their sometimes erratic and that 1500m mark.
pupils at the national level. actual marks around the Jo Punga came within
pass/fail area may be 0.1 second of the Waikato
unreliable. Zone 100m time by running
12.0s in his heat.