JUNIOR FREE PLACES

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1929, Page 17

JUNIOR FREE PLACES

EXTENSION FOR YOUNGER PUPILS

Regulations designed to obtain uniformity regarding free places at the several types of schools were set out in a departmental circular received by the Taranaki Education Board yesterday. Among the most important provisions was one that pupils under 13 years cf ago on December 31 in the year in which they qualified for a junior free place might have the tenure of the scholarship extended to a third yeax by the Director of Education on the recommendation of tho principal of the school whether the children concerned were day or evening pupils. A junior free place was not tenable after December 31 in the year in which tho pupil reached the age of 17 years, though there was no limit for evening classes. Tho regulations provide that any child over 14 may obtain free secondary education without holding a proficiency certificate provided he or she takes an approved course.

Beyond opening the door to -postprimary education more widely, the amendments aimed only at making more uniform the conditions under which junior free places may be held in the various types of schools. In- practice the main change regarding teehni.-al schools will be the admissions to technical high schools and to day technical class will bo made on exactly the same conditions both for full-time and parttime pupils, but the admission of parttime pupils to day schools will be subject to the age limit of 10, whereas no such limit will apply to evening pupils. In other respects practically the same conditions will apply to junior free place evening pupils as to part-time junior free place day pupils in technical schools or technical high schools.