Firms help slow learners

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32563, 24 March 1971, Page 3

Firms help slow learners

(N.Z. Press Association) BLENHEIM, Mar. 23. A project aimed at preparing children, showing severe scholastic disabilities, for a useful working career is being carried out at the Kaikoura High SchooL It involves placing such pupils—aged 14 and older—with a local business house for employment on one day each school week. It aims

at making them “an economic unit.”

The kaikoura High School committee of control has given its support to such a scheme at the newly established Form 1 to Form 7 high school in Kaikoura. A problem in many schools in the country was children who were not really suited for an academic life as established in New Zealand secondary schools, said the principal (Mr R. Nelson).

In cities they could be put in a work experience class. Fourteen pupils were re-

quired to establish such a class. In this class they, received modified teaching and were released to regular business houses to gain experience in a trade they might take up. “Kaikoura is not a large school, and we can’t qualify for the work experience scheme,” Mr Nelson said. “But we have three or four children who could qualify for such special treatment.” Mr Nelson said assistance was being given by the Kaikoura Lions’ Club. An approach had been

made to local businessmen, and so far two pupils had been placed. The school was looking for a third placement.

“We can gain; a release from the Education Department to enable the pupils to do one day a week out at work,” Mr Nelson said. There'was no question of payment for the work done because some of the pupils, being aged 14, could meet trouble with the labour laws and possibly with the unions, although the unions were said to be happy with'the motives of the scheme. Mr Nelson said the causes of low intelligence ability were many and varied. Among them were lack of cultural background and medical, physical and intel lectual problems.