FREE PLACES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 32, 8 February 1933, Page 8

FREE PLACES

EXTENSIONS MADE

MINISTER'S STATEMENT

HELP FOR PARENTS

Extensions of Junior a;ndi Senior Free Places for the current schobl year, subject to certain conditions, were announced by the Minister of Education (the Hon. E. Masters)..to-day. The stated that any general extension of free place privileges to those who did not reach the standard of qualification for Senior Free Places must inevitably lead to a break-down of the Senior Free Place system, and for that Teason he had been obliged to impose restrictions. He realised, however, the difficulties experienced by boys and girls in obtaining employment under the present economic conditions, and, rather than that they should spend their time idling about the streets or in hopelessly seeking employment, he felt it was desirable that those, young people should resume their school life. In the circumstances, he had decided that, provided a pupil who. was unable to find employment made application to the Department through the headmaster or principal of his school and satisfied the Director of Education that the case was a bona fide one, .T nior Free Places might be extended for an additional year in the case of pupiU at secondary schools, district high schools, technical high and technical day schools, and combined schools. This applied to pupils who liad not already held free places for more than two years, and who had failed to secure Senior Free Places at the end of 1932. Further, he had decided that the Senior Free Places of all pupils in _ such schools, where'the pupil had attained the age of nineteen years during the year 1933, may be extended to the end of ; the year; provided also that in the case Of both Junior and Senior Free Places the parent of the- pupil proved to the satisfaction o£ the Director of Education that he was unable to provide; the necessary fees'for" .the tuition of his^child after the expiry of his free place. . ■ ;■