21 JUNE 1935, Page 3

Matriculation The Matriculation Board for Manchester; Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham and

Leeds Universities has Made recommendations which may be the ,beginning- of the end of the tyranny which Matriculation exam- inations have exercised in secondary schools. An examination originally devised as the preliminary exam- ination for admission to a university acquired a new character when it was made an all-round test of students' attainments. The curricula of the majority of schools in England have been moulded by the requirements of this examination. It has compelled all students, what- ever their special talents, to devote all their efforts up to the age of about sixteen to preparation for Matricula- tion—it is something that has to be got out of the way before the natural bent of a boy or girl can be fully encouraged. If the proposals of the Board are accepted a much more elastic course of school study, as tested in the Higher Certificate examination, will admit students to the Northern Universities—and it may be hoped to others.

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