Children
p. 79 · Read in the full issue
Scholarships for Islands Children
From Our Own Correspondent
Pt. Moresby, Oct. 28.
THE Commonwealth Government has been con sidering a grant for scholarships exclusively for European children of Commonwealth territories.
Mr. Barron, schoolmaster in charge of the Port Moresby European school, was recently informed by the Federated State School Teachers’ Associa tion of Australia, that the Commonwealth had already made a grant per annum to New Guinea for several such scholarships.
In the case of Papua, the Commonwealth stated that this Territory already received a large grant part of which should be set aside by the Admini stration for such purposes. As a result the Prime Minister’s Department, has informed the Associa tion, that the Lieutenant Governor of Papua, has agreed “to consider each candidate’s admission to secondary education on its merits as it arises, and that the circumstances of the child’s parents would be taken into consideration in arriving at a de cision.’’
To gain a scholarship a candidate has to sit for either the Primary Final Examination of New South Wales or the scholarship examination of Queensland. A pass in the Primary examination entitles him to enter a New South Wales High School with free tuition. This already is open to pupils in Port Moresby, and the allowance made to the local government would go towards the expenses of board, etc.
The higher passes in the Queensland examination entitle pupils to free tuition at any Public Grammar School or High School, the cost of tuition being paid by the Government. Candidates gaining lower passes are entitled only to enter a High School.
A question which Mr. Barron considers of vital importance, is whether these territorial scholar ships are to be decided exclusively among children of the Territories; or whether they are to be com petitive with entrants from either New South Wales or Queensland. This has not yet been decided.
It is hoped by the parents of children in Papua, that the Administration will consider making the scholarship grant a fixed amount.
Reverend Mother Margaret, of the Melanesian Mission’s Sisters of the Cross, who has been in Australia under medical care, recently returned to Siota, S.I.