Q&A: Matriculation Exams
Matriculation Exams
Question
Hello and blessings to his honor, our teacher and rabbi, may he live long,
I was asked by yeshiva students who thirst for the word of God, who diligently study Torah and labor at its doors:
“Are matriculation exams ideal from the outset, or only acceptable after the fact?”
I have not even a thread of perspective on this, whether as an educator, as a halakhic decisor, or even as someone
who has gone through a great deal in life.
May I be permitted to ask his honor, our teacher and rabbi, may he live long,
Answer
A matriculation certificate has no importance in itself, but a general education does matter. It can also be acquired independently. Knowledge of mathematics and English is harder to acquire on your own.
Beyond that, a matriculation certificate opens up employment opportunities, so it is worthwhile to have one.
Discussion on Answer
I have no other answer. Their tremendous powers will not be harmed if they study other things as well (not necessarily matriculation exams). But it is certainly possible to do this even after a few years in yeshiva.
Reality has shown that it is hard to make up English later. It is preferable to study it in parallel during elementary school and high school. It also seems that nowadays a father’s obligation to teach his son a trade requires the child to learn English.
They are pure yeshiva students with tremendous spiritual and intellectual powers…
and they are asking whether to do it or to sit and learn Torah…