RAISING OF SCHOOL AGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25458, 12 February 1944, Page 7

RAISING OF SCHOOL AGE

THE POSITION ELUCIDATED The raising of the school age to 15 years has resulted in many inquiries being made at the Education Office and the following information has been furnished by the Education Board in order to assist parents and teachers:— , . . _ Exemptions from enrolment may be granted under three heads only .. (a) Infirmity: That the child , to attend school, by reason of his permanent infirmity. (b) Alternative instruction. ihat tne child is elsewhere under instruction as regular and efficient as in a registered (c) Unlikely to benefit: That in the opinion of the senior inspector a pupil 14 years of age who has complete!d the work of Form II is unlikely to benefit from the education facilities available at any convenient school or at the correspondence school. Certificates of exemption already granted under the original regulations remain valid provided they are in accord with (a) and (b). Children Exempted This year (and this year only) there is a general exemption of pupils who attained the age of 14 years on or before February 1, 1944. Where such pupils continue their education they ar ® n °VJ pelled to remain at school until they attain the age of 15. A former ground of exemption—that a pupil has attained the age of 13 and has completed the work oi Form ll—is no longer valid. Such a pupil must enrol. Under the new regulations there is no provision for exemption from enrolment on the grounds of economic hardship. . . , To sum up, all pupils not exempted must be on the roll of a public school oi some other school and they must attend school whenever it is open, unless granted temporary leave for sickness or other valid cause. Form 111 Education It is not intended to establish a Form 111 In public schools where an intermediate or post-primary school is m operation. Pupils who cannot conveniently attend such schools must enrol as Form 111 pupils in the nearest public school. It is estimated that about one-third of the rural schools will require to cater for a very small Form 111. Teachers will find some valuable suggestions in the February issue of National Education. All certificated teachers are qualified to five a satisfactory epurse in Form 111. Nothing elaborate or ambitious need be attempted, but a satisfactory course could be framed in English, practical arithmetic, arts and crafts, music, physical education, agriculture, nature study, social studies, health, etc., involving consolidation and extension of Form II work. ... Where assistance is necessary with a particular subject—for instance, dressmaking—’the resources of the (correspondence school will be available, as is now the case with secondary departments or district high schools. Application for such assistance should be made through the secretary of the board, or the senior inspector. Only .where a reasonably satisfactory course cannot be provided by the public school will a pupil be enrolled in the correspondence school, In cases where pupils live more than three miles from the nearest school or conveyance service, and cannot conveniently attend such school, they must apply for enrolment in the correspondence school. Application forms for enrolment in the correspondence school may be odtained at the Education Office.