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The National Council for the Training of Journalists has announced theresults of the Autumn 2001 National Certificate Examination, which achievedan overall pass rate of 44 per cent.

A total of 232 candidates sat the National Certificate Examination inOctober at 14 centres around the UK.

The Certificate was awarded to 102 candidates.

The rate is an improvement on the low of 35 per cent achieved lastSeptember and also an increase on the Spring results, which gave a 43 percent pass rate.

The exam was split into sections on Newspaper Practice, covering a Speechand conducting a News Interview.

The examiners' reports again highlighted common errors or difficultiesfor candidates and suggested editors would do well to closely supervisetheir staff.

Many problems revolved around misunderstandings of the Code of Practiceor European Convention on Human Rights.

In the report on the Newspaper Practice section, examiners said:"Candidates' answers to questions in the newspaper practice section of theautumn NCE suggest that there are many editors who have cause for seriousconcern.

"This was not a difficult paper. It gave candidates an opportunity todemonstrate knowledge and capabilities expected of a senior reporter. It wasa challenge too strong for more than half the candidates.

"Candidates have 20 minutes to tackle each of three questions in thissection of the examination.

"Some of the suggested lines of inquiry and questions they think to askduring this period of time must make one wonder what sort of questions theypose when, under pressure from their news desk, they grab a telephone toconduct a quick interview for the next edition? Editors, news editors andtraining officers might consider occasionally monitoring trainees -59 per cent of whom appear to need this help."

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