A THIRD YEAR

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1932, Page 13

A THIRD YEAR

JUMOR FREE PLACES

MINISTER'S ACTION

An important concession to feepaying students in secondary, technical, and district high schools was announced by tho Minister of« Education (the Hon. B. Masters) to-day. Holders of■ junior free places for the past two years who failed to secure senior free places last year are to be allowed to hold their junior free places until the end of the.current year. The- Minister stated that in view of the grave difficulties confronting many parents-under the ..present economic conditions^ and of the- very great difficulties experienced by boys and girls in obtaining employment, he had decided to make some concession to feepaying pupils in secondary, technical, and district high schools.. In not a few instances ,bpys.;and girls who ho .longer held-free places were, quite unable to pay the necessary fees, to enable them to continue their-jstudies. '-'It is recognised,"said the ''that unless tlieso young people resume their school life they .will; spend their time idling about the streets or 'in hopelessly seeking employment. Such an - experience at perhaps the most critical period of their: youth would, result, in a certain measure of mental, nioralj and physical deterioration. , V

"It has been decided, therefore, to allow pupils, who have not already held a junior free place for more than two years at a;post-primary school and who did not at the.rend of last- year obtain a senior- free place,' either by recomniendation or by examination- to continue to hold their junior free places till the" end of the current year;," The rieeessity for'such a proposal as is'outlined in. the Minister's statement was urged by'the member for Wellington South (Mr. K.'McKeen) in a letter which he recently j addressed to Mr; Masters." Mr.' McKeen dre\v attention to the desperate plight of tho.parents of many.of the Boys and girls who left cdflege'at the end of last year. A large number of "the boys and girls had found it absolutely impossible to find ern^ ployinent. Their parents-were willing that they should continue school/but were unable rtiofina their term fees. ';

Mr; MeKeen |o-day received a letter from Mr. Masters outliiing his-'pro-posal, :knd : in- conversation ;with a ' |P6st '■' reporter he expressed his appreciatipn of what had been- done. .'.-■''