SIZE OF SCHOOL CLASSES

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24371, 25 September 1944, Page 2

SIZE OF SCHOOL CLASSES

REDUCTION SOUGHT “No real effort has yet been made to attract the most qualified entrants to the teaching profession. On the contrary. it would ssem at present that every effort is being made to drive teachers out of the profession altogether,” said Mr G. H. Mitchell at a meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, when he moved that ‘‘the size of classes be reduped to a maximum of 30 pupils per certificated teacher ** “We "realise that the shortage of teachers has been accentuated by the war, but many more could be in the schools to-day without affecting the Dominion’s war effort,” continued Mr Mitchell. “Each pupil must be treated separately, proceeding at his natural pace, with due regard to his own level of intelligence, his temperament, and his experience. Classes of 55, which are far too common in our primary schools to-day, make this an impossibility. The two principal obstacles in the way of reduction of the size of classes to-day are shortage of teachers and insufficient buildings. Neither of these is insurmountable.” Mr B. C. Penney, speaking on the present-day size of schools, said that in the larger schools to-day the. brighter pupils and those who were behaviour problems might be known to the headmaster, but the great average mass was unknown to him. Mr Penney moved that “the size of the largest school be limited to 400 pupils.” Both motions were' carried unanimously.