TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18348, 14 March 1923, Page 9

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

FREE PLACE PRIVILEGES.

NO RESTRICTION INTENDED.

[by- telegraph.—own correspondent.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday.

Recently technical college boards communicated with the Minister for Education with respect to a regulation gazetted on January 11, which it was thought restricted the privilege of entering upon free education in Technical High Schools. The regulation limited the age of entry from 17 to 15 years unless, the approval of the senior inspector was first obtained. The Minister, gives an assurance that there will be no restriction of free place privileges in the case of any child, even though his age be over 15 years when he enters, provided such child "does not waste his time and the money of the State in engaging in an academic or other course of instruction quite unsuitable to the particular child's aptitude. In other words, the department only desires to see that flood value is being got for the State's money, and that it is not being wasted. In "the course of his reply to the boards the Minister says: It has not been unusual to find that pupils who, from lack of intellectual capacity, were late in passing standard VI,, propose to undertake a purely academic coarse of instruction, in which they can make no progress and from . which they can receive no benefit. The regulations as they now stand cannot be held to prevent any pupil from receiving free instruction of a practical or vocational character, provided he applies for a free place within the time specified. It will be quite simple for the principal of each technical high school to come to an. understanding with the senior inspector as to what restrictions in choice of instruction courses should le imposed, and it is not at all necessary for the senior inspector to approve every individual case. It is, however, necessary that the greatest care should be taken to see that pupils who are somewhat dull mentally do not embark on academic courses of instruction to the waste of their own time 'and consequent loss to the State. ■■'■■:.•■ " The only possible restriction -in the • amended regulations that may bear a little hardly on a few applicants is that relating to the period . within which a free place can be obtained, but I purpose removing this restriction by deleting from clause' 3 of the regulations the words ' within six months after, obtaining - such certificate.' This further amendment will enable any qualified pupil to receive the ' benefits of a free place provided he applies before he reaches the age of 17., The.proposed amendment, together with " those recently made, will very substantially extend -the free place i privileges and give increased opportunities for free post primary education to pupils who are sufficiently well qualified to benefit by it." -