SCHOOL-LEAVING AGE LAW

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27877, 27 January 1956, Page 9

SCHOOL-LEAVING AGE LAW

Many Applications For Exemption

INSPECTOR EXPLAINS REQUIREMENTS

Only in very exceptional circumstances are children allowed to leave school before they are aged 15, although this may mean that they must go back to school for a very short period in a new year. The senior inspector of primary schools in the Canterbury Education Board’s district (Mr J. F. Johnson), who holds the power to grant exemption from this law, has had many inquiries from parents on this matter. He said that many parents, whose children celebrated their fifteenth birthdays early in the first school term, seeked to evade, or failed to understand the law. “Exemption is not lightly granted,” said Mr Johnson. “In the whole of the board’s district, seldom more than three or four exemptions are granted each year. These have been cases of very exceptional circumstances, and only those in which it is clear that a child cannot profit from further attendance at school. “During late December and January, a number of applications for exemption come forward. These diminish each year as parents realise that 15 years is the school-leaving age and no long 14,” he said. The Education Amendment Act, 1920, made provision for the raising of the school-leaving age from 14 to 157 This was not brought into operation until February, 1944. In effect, it means that some secondary education is compulsory for every child. Speaking of the change in school attendance, Mr Johnson said: “A few years ago, only 50 per cent, of children received secondary education; now, about 95 per cent. do. Only one child in 20 is denied the opportunity.”

Reasons Advanced Reasons advanced for children seeking exemption are sometimes economic; sometimes the child’s desire to leave school; or sometimes the opportunity to secure employment in a field where openings are infrequent. “None of these provide grounds within the terms of the regulations,” said Mr Johnson. “The regulations have not been lightly made. New Zealand is a little in advance of most countries in this, and somewhat behind many countries where it is compulsory to attend school to the age of 16 or 17.” Secondary schools which do not require a guarantee of a pupil’s attendance, annually face the problem of having to admit pupils who enroll or return for a few weeks to comply with the law. These pupils often leave on their birthdays. The administration of law cannot be relaxed for. as Mr Johonson said, “this would, invite endless applications to have the limits further extended.”