BURSARY CHANGE

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31922, 25 February 1969, Page 18

BURSARY CHANGE

Criticism By Bd Member

"The authorities are contemptuous of the people sitting examinations,” said Mr J. R. Priestly at a meeting of the Christchurch Girls’ High School board of governors last evening. "One can see why there is trouble with students overseas when they are heated like this."

Mrs Priestly was criticising late notification to candidates of the raising of the pass mark from 200 to 250 in the university busary examination.

The chairman (Professor R. T. Sussex) said that the University Grants Committee had given notice in October, 1067, of new pass marks for the bursary examination which would apply in 1968. "This was not known to the general public,” said Mrs Priestly. “These people had paid $l5 examination fees and they should have been informed in the papers.” The headmistress (Miss P. M. Robinson) said that if she had known of the change she would have advised some of the girls not to sit the examination. Fourteen girls had, however, gained A bursaries and nine B bursaries. In her report to the board, Miss Robinson said that the school role stood at 741, and was hardly changed from 1968. There were 170 girls in the lower sixth and 48 in the upper sixth. There were eight new staff. The board discussed the possibility of extensions to the staff room, and the importance of pressing for the construction of the proposed new block. Miss Robinson said that present space in the staff room made conditions very cramped, especially when the school had an Influx of students three times a year.