§ Mr. T. LEWISasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that about 100 school children at Gilfach Goch, Glamorgan, have been on strike for the last ten weeks owing to their transfer, contrary to the wishes of their parents, from one school to another; whether he is aware of the acute state of local feeling in this matter; and what steps the Board of Education proposes to take to safeguard the educational interests of the children concerned?
§ Mr. FISHERI have made careful inquiries into this matter and have ascertained that a number of children living at Gilfach Goch have been refused admission to the Gilfach Goch council school, which has, I believe, been overcrowded for some time, and that their parents have refused to allow them to attend any other school. The educational interests of the children are, however, safeguarded by Article 53 of the Code, which provides that no child may be refused admission to a public elementary school on other than reasonable grounds. If any parent is of opinion that his child has been unreasonably refused admission to a particular school, his right course is to appeal to the Board of Education, and the Board would give a decision on the matter.