PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 11

PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS

30 Remits To P.T.A. Session

(HZ. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Aug. 22. About 30 remits await consideration by the Federations of Home and School and Partent-Teacher Associations' representatives when they meet in Wellington next week-end for the annual conference of their national council. Twenty-two remits dealing with problems in the field of education will come up for discussion, in addition to a further eight of a constitutional nature. Several remits dealing with the present shortage of teachers reflect the concern of parents with this problem, which is most acute in the new housing areas where transport facilities still remain only partially developed. "The problem of teacher shortages, and overcrowded classes has remained, so our organisation now seeks greater detail and more tangible assurance,” the national council states. Other remits seek better library facilities for all primary schools of grade five and above, and the secondary departments of district high s hools.

Remits also ask that a library assistant be granted on a part-time basis to all intermediate schools of grade seven, where the library contains more than 2500 books. This would not only enable greater use to be made of existing facilities, but would also save the time of the teachers. Further remits deal with the need for increased maintenance grants, increased incidental grants, improvements to older schools, and such matters as group C subjects being retained for University Entrance, and the problem of censorship in relation to visual entertainments. books and magazines.