Entries Next Year To High Schools

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31117, 21 July 1966, Page 16

Entries Next Year To High Schools

Applications for entry to the 13 Christchurch State secondary schools next year total 3639, compared with a predicted 3705 and 3576 admissions this year. About 430 applications have been rejected by schools with full rolls, but there are still at least 500 vacancies at six other schools in the district.

These figures were given yesterday by the district senior inspector of secondary schools (Mr M. Hewitson). He was commenting on the results of the “first round” of applications which closed on July 1 and have been considered within the conditions for admission laid down by each board. Mr Hewitson said notices of acceptance or rejection would be sent to parents of all applicants this week. The schools with vacancies would be listed and those who must seek entry to another school should apply by Monday, August 1. “There is ample accommodation for every pupil,” Mr Hewitson said. The roll forecasts conducted by the Education Department indicated an intake of 3705 secondary pupils for 1967. Some of 66 not accounted for might have enrolled at independent schools or moved from Christchurch, but some parents might not have made any effort to enrol their children, said Mr Hewitson. “It must be pointed out that pupils are required by law to be at school at least until their fifteenth birthday, whatever time of the year that falls. It is illegal for an employer to employ a child under the age of 15 unless the child has a certificate of ex-

emption. There is now provision for prosecution where children are kept away from school of employed illegally,” Mr Hewitson said. “Quite apart from new enrolments Into State secondary schools there is a tendency for pupils to stay longer at school, so that the number of leavers in some schools is decreasing. Pupils are finding it increasingly difficult to secure employment and are realising that their future without qualifications is not bright A prerequisite for apprenticeship training is a minimum of two years at secondary school; some pupils are staying another year for good measure.”