School construction policy attacked

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 16

School construction policy attacked

The Government’s building policy on “area” schools and the replacement of outdated class-rooms was attacked yesterday at the conference in Christchurch of the Education Boards’ Association.

The president of the E.B.A. (Mr L. A. Lorrigan) said that the boards were perturbed at what seemed to be an avoidable delay in determining policy for the organisation and administration of area schools.

“I do not see any practical reason why a number of area schools should not be established almost immediately Surely it is reasonable for boards to expect to be able to include some of these schools on their building programmes for next year,” he said.

Mr Lorrigan said that boards should meet their most urgent needs progressively over the next few years, while the primary roll growth was at a minimum. The Labour Party spokes-

man on education (Mr P. A. Amos) in his address to the conference said that there was a continuing story of inadequate classrooms, some approaching a century in age, still being used; and there was no scheme for their replacement. “Surely it is not beyond the capability of our educational planners and policy makers to devise a scheme similar to that used by universities and the armed forces — which can plan for five years ahead.”