Pupils’ pilot programme

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 6

Pupils ’ pilot programme

throats from singing ribald football songs. Then the talk progresses to other aspects of the night: the casualty ward in the hospitals, the . crime and the loneliness ... . The idea was the brainchild of the Christchurch English Committee. It wanted to help local pupils in English to develop their language and their language skills. Having them prepare and produce an hour-long broadcast was not merely an exercise in fun. A spokesman for the committee, Mr G. T. Allen, said the children would be

involved in an “enormous amount” of writing, as well as learning the new skills of recording and announcing. Once the idea had been accepted by the radio station, and the programmes. slotted between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings, it was necessary to allocate turns to the interested secondary schools. Riccarton High School, the first to broadcast on April 12, has chosen “Saturday night” for its theme. With a series of skits, carefully selected music, and interviews it will attempt to present a

cross-section of Christchurch. Its programme must he pre-recorded and its content approved by the radio station but provided there is nothing outrageous planned, its performance will be broadcast unchanged. After Riccarton High, it will be the turn of Christchurch Boys’ High School, then 12 more high schools, both State and private. Riccarton’s performance including interviews with the . Mayor (Mr Hamish Hay), a police inspector and the Wizard, could be a hard act to follow.