BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28540, 20 March 1958, Page 18

BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS

Minister Explains Problems (From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU. March 19. “It is very hard to hold the scales even,” said the Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) in an address to the Dominion Federation of School Committees’ Associations conference atTimaru today. He was speaking of the need for new school buildings, replacement of old buildings and new equipment in the schools. “Last year nearly £8,000,000 was spent on buildings and I am asking for £9,000.000,” he said At that figure the department was turning down at least £1,000,000 of what the school boards had asked for, Mr Skoglund said. “The financial situation is not' as good as it was. We’re not going to have, as much to spend and now I am asking for £1,000,000 more. This Government believes that the two departments that should never go short are Health and Education and I am optimistic.”

Mr Skoglund said £3,500,000 had already been expended each year, or the buildings were authorised or in the process of being erected, and if he did not get the £1,000,000 then it mean! a cut of 20 per cent, on the programme that had been sent’ in to him. The great increase in the school rolls, which was already at its peak in the primary schools, had passed on to the secondary schools and was lapping at the universities, said the Minister. “The Government will have to find a considerable amount for university education,” he said.

“In six to seven years we expect double the number of people at the universities—that gives us six years in which to plan and build.”

The replacement of old buildings was also a problem. Mr

Skoglund said he intended to ask the Government to find out what was needed. It would cost between £60,000 and £70,000 to provide all the extra equipment wanted in the schools and that would mean that so many small schools could not be built. “Should we make certain the buildings are there or should we supply the equipment and make someone go short of a building?” Mr Skoglund asked. The problem of smaller classes might have to be solved gradually. Smaller classes depended on the number of classrooms available and on the number of teachers.