REHABILITATION AID

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 39, 15 January 1946, Page 7

REHABILITATION AID

CHILDREN OF DECEASED SERVICEMEN

EDUCATION & TRADE TRAINING

“Following on a recent decision that rehabilitation assistance for children of deceased or totally dis-

abled servicemen should be confined

to education and trade training, the Rehabilitation Board has reviewed the whole held in these spheres to discover the best ways to help;’ says a statement from the. board. “As a result of these enquiries made by

the board in conjunction with other interested departments, the Government has decided that the primary and secondary education of such children should be handled by the. Education Department in collaboration with the War Pensions Authorities.

“It was further decided that postsecondary education and where it is required post-primary trade training should be the espensibility of the Rehabilitation Board. This was done because it was felt that the board’s interest in the children as rehabilitation subjects would,normally commence when they left secondary school to take up employment or carry on with higher education or when they left primary school with the object of starting work and particularly of learning a trade. “Under the recent amendment to the War Bursaries Regulations the amount payable during the secondary education of the children concerned amounts to £25 a year, where

• lie education is on a full-time basis. There is besides the basic pension of £2 10s a week for the widow, and a pension of 10s a week for every child attending primary or secondary school, there being no age limit.

“It is hoped that given this encouragement guardians of the children of deceased or totally disabled servicemen of whom most are war widows will give full opportunity to children who show promise to carry on their education past the primary school stage. Posit-Secondary Education

“In the case of post-secondary education the Rehabilitation Board will in general assist for part-time studies where the studies are in line with the vocation being followed by the student. For full-time study, however, the board will help when* the ability of the student warrants such assistance. The. form the assistance will take is a weekly bursary varying slightly according to the age of the student plus £1 a week special allowance, for those students living away from home. The rates, apart from this special allowance, are: Under 18 years of age, £1 12s Gd a week; 18 to 19, £1 los; 19 to 20 t £1 17s Gdl 20 to 21, £2. When the student reaches the age of 21 he will he paid the normal bursary rate for ex-servicemen students. This is £8 3s for single men and £5 5s a week for married men, where full-time study is involved, plus fees and book*.

“Where children of deceased or totally disabled servicemen arc articled as apprentices while learning a trade, the board will make grants towards living expenses, when they arc undertaking their apprenticeships away from home. The maximum grant will be £52 a year, provided that the gross wage plus, the grant does not exceed £3 3s a week. The board will also provide free tuition at technical or other colleges in connection with the theoretical side of their trade, and will refund up to £5 on the purchase of necessary tools. After considering the average rates normally received by apprentices, the board decided it would not be equitable to subsidies where the. children concerned were living at home.”