THE OTAGS DAILY TIMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12933, 28 March 1904, Page 4

THE OTAGS DAILY TIMES

Tub Education Department is iviselv disposed, it would seem, -to administer ill a liberal spirit the regulations it lias issued to ensure the provision of a secondary education for these children who have, by their primary scluoi course, proved themselves to be qr.alilieJ for a career at a High School. Some doubt had arisen concerning the position occupied by pupils v/lio, passing the Sixth Standard examination and possess ■ ing the age qualification, became entitled to free places in the secondary institu•tions and entered a High School in tlie last quarter of last year. For, while the Government regulations contemplate'] that these pupils should be provided

with two years' fri* Nation, it was prescribed that " l^ nen t 0 n account of any pupil slmll a ftcr two years from December 31 f? C OGdiQg tho data of Ills admission," i^ ss ] 10 should have satisfied tho tests r^,j rec i by tho In-spector-general entillivr ),[ m to a further two years' free j| ie regulations were under these eirQj, s t ances certainlv calculated to cperata unfairly in many cases. If tho pupil's f cur tconth birthday fell between the t^ o 0 f the entrance examination and tho e&j 0 f the calendar year, it was order to pro* serve his rights, that| lo s ] lou ](l enter tho secondary school y oro the year closed j but in that tlio Department, according to letter of the regulations, merely to provide him with tree educate j u the High, School for n year and & fraction of a year. And that in ;vol ,] ( j impose on him tho necessity, i!i 10 wished the extra two years' free ti;i[j 0!lj 0 f satisfying tho Inspector-generaJj tests aftor be had tho advantage of Gt|y a y ear and a-quarter's, or lit the most a yoar and I a-half's, training in secondary subjects, although, according to tie view of the Department it-self, as implied in the regulations, it would bo Unreasonable to expect him to overtake in less than two years the work necessary to equip him for the tests. Tho injustice flf to tho pupil would he obvious, and the Government, we believe, recognises this and has decided that pujils who entered the secondary schools last year as holdc-rs of free (places under the regulations that originally contained the conditions for the provision oi free secondary education shall be regarded as covered by tho terms of the mora recent regulations, issued in pursuance of the legislation of last year. Presumably, therefore, those pupils'' who entered the High Schools last year as holders of free places will be continued there for two years from tlie beginning of this year, with the right to an additional two years' education, subject to their passing the Civil Service Junior examination—a sufficiently .severe test—tf.t the conclusion of next year's tenuio of their places. There still remain, however, various anomalies and doubtful points, to which it b neccssary that the attention of the Government; should be given, in the most recent regulations. Among theso may be mentioned the rather curious circumstance that pupils, who entered tho local High Schools as holders of Education Board scholarships, and who aro desirous of sitting for the Junior University Scholarships, nre being required to abandon a portion of the programme they had arranged for themselves. The most recent regulations placo these pupils on the samo footing as the ordinary holders of free places, and they arc subject to precisely tho samo condi-' tions, these including tho requirement that they shall receive regular instruction in a subject pre,scribed under "The Manual and Technical Instruction Act'' —that is to say, a scientific subject, flat this practically robs them of the option of choosing between German and science as a subject for the Junior University Scholarships, for we understand that the exigencies of the time-table forbid the possibility of a full course of instruction being given in the High Schools in both of these subjects as ivell asin the other subjects comprised in the cuiricuium. And this involves an Dbvioii3;liaruship upon pupils who may be <lcsirms of going up in Gorman—who nay, mortover, havo no tasto for science ind wlicst prospects of success in the University examination may be ruined through iho obligation that is ipparently inposed 011 them to take a science courst in the secondary school. Hie question -,hat is of general interest, lowevcr, is tlif.t of the date of admission )f free pupils to the High Schools. iJnder existing conditions iW Dunedin, :he inspection rf the primary schools :akes place aboir, midwinter, and pupils vlio fulfil the requirements are thereore qualified to enter the High Schools :owards the close of tho year. That is, lowever, the most inconvenient period, in influx of now pupils at that time nvolving a serious disorganisation of vork at the High Sehools. The regulaions recognise the iwdesirability of-the Emission of pupils at that period of he year, for they provide that ''110 econdary school slmll be required to idmit pupils to free places at any other ime than tho beginning of the school ear." But if the Board of Governors if the High Sehools were to resolvo that 10 free pupils would be admitted except t tlio beginning of the February quarter 110 effect would almost inevitably be lie undesirable one of debarring from he benefits of 3 free secondary training . number of pupils to whom the mischief if the age disqualification would apply. ?ho matter has, we believe, been the tihjeet of conference betv/een the school nspectors and members of tlio High 'chools Board, and, while no plan has et been devised to overcome the diffiinlties that exist, tho true remedy eems to us to bo that which wo sug;ested several months ago—of holding a listh Standard examination towards the lose of the calendar year, and, as wolL f abolishing tho age qualification.