Pupils Will Have To Complete School Year

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30310, 10 December 1963, Page 18

Pupils Will Have To Complete School Year

(N.Z. Press Association) DUNEDIN. Dec 9. The Otago Boys’ High Schools’ Board will support principals’ insistence that pupils remain at school after sitting School Certificate to complete the year’s work, it decided today. The resolution was made after the Rector of the Otago Boys’ High School, Mr D. J. MacLachlan, expressed bis concern at the numbers wanting to leave school before the end of the year. Mr MacLachlan said a pupil must complete three years' satisfactory education before being eligible for School Certificate, and this included schooling after the examination had been sat. “If pupils do not complete this full term, they are in danger of having their examination nullified." he said after the meeting. In his report to the board. Mr MacLachlan said: “This year an increased number of boys have requested to leave after the School Certificate examinations. am not happy with this situation for I feel that with increasing competition for positions this year, parents and boys are being embarrassed by employers who mistakenly believe that a boy's obligations to his school have been met once he has sat an outside examination. “Work has continued in all classes although examinations are over, and I have no authority to release boys from schooling until school ends on December 12.” He told the board meeting th a 4 there was perplexity among parents on the matter, and they should be informed of the situation before making requests for their childrens’ release from schooling.

“I have had a number of requests from various parts of New Zealand from parents and I have refused them all.”