UNIVERSITY FREE PLACES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 106, 3 May 1912, Page 4

UNIVERSITY FREE PLACES.

; The Minister of .has lost "no ' time in attempting to-cany out tie proi iciic -of Government to extend the ad- > vantages of free education from tie I primary and secondary schools to tie ) University itself. Speaking- yesterday at , llasterton, Mr, Hanan announced thai ; a large number of bursaries which ■will at - least cover the amount of the Univers- • it 7 fees are to be available every year ; for secondary school pupils. Hitherto such v free places = nave -been awarded . only io tlioie who have passed with . credit in the Junior University Scholarship examination—one of the severest and most exhatistivc tests set by our University. But now these ibursaries are to be open to all Tvho have completed " satisfactorily* a four years' , course in a secondary school- This new provision ml] certainly prove a great hoon to large numbers of young students who, -while preparing themselves for a professional career as lawyers, doctors, i or teachers, find it difficult to meet even '. tlio Email amount r ■' expense involved in i attendance at U:. r../'y rol.letre classes. jAt the fame time :t r:iay be pointed out j that the new should i strengthen our secondary school system Iby encouraging pnnils to stay on for 1 fear years instead of leaving after one jur fivo years, as is too frequently the i case. One of the gravest disadvantages j that our secondary schools have to conI tend against is the desire of parents to remove their children, from the schools - just when they have readied the age at which a year or two more of steady intellectual training might make all the difference to their future prospects. If I Mr. Eanajj's bursaries check this tendency to sacrifice the permanent benefits jof soucd secondary education, to a little I temporary gain, he will have achieved a jt ' which should secure for him the . I gratitude of educationists throughout the : j'Dominion. 'I — . j