POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27603, 9 March 1955, Page 11

POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

BUILDING PROBLEMS IN CHRISTCHURCH QUICKER CONSTRUCTION WANTED Unless the rate of building new schools in Christchurch is accelerated, all pupils applying for enrolment next year cannot be accommodated, according to the latest survey by the Christchurch Post-primary Schools’ Council. To avoid this situation, the first section of the Cashmere High School and the last section of the Linwood High School will have to be ready by the beginning of 1956, and the second section of Cashmere and the first section of the Shirley Boys’ High School by the beginning of 1957, says a statement sent to the Education Department this week. The statement seeks early discussions on the building programme. After a long-term survey in 1952, the Post-primary Schools’ Council recommended that the Linwood High School should open in 1954, Cashmere in 1955, and Shirley in 1956. The Education Department decided that requirements would be met by opening Linwood in 1954, Cashmere in 1956, and Shirley in 1958.

This year, the total rolls of schools under the council’s control increased by 592. Only 148 of the increase were new entrants, the rest of the rise coming from senior pupils remaining at school longer. Because of this trend, it is expected that total rolls may rise by another 400 next year. Existing schools were further crammed to take this year’s extra pupils, and to take more is considered impossible.