SMALLER CLASSES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1930, Page 10

SMALLER CLASSES

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

In a letter addressed to Mr. P. Mai'tyni Renner, chairman of the Standing Committee of the New Zealand Federation of Teachers, the Minister of Education wrot« as follows regarding the federation's request for a reduction.in the size.of classet in primary schools:— ,

"You are probably not aware that sine* ' the Ist February, when the schools re» suraed, 158 extra teachers have been appointed with a view to reducing the siz« of classes. This should be understood by the members of your federation, as th« newspaper heading may give an impression that nothing -has been' done during my term of office in this connection. I fully realise the necessity for reducing the size of classes so that a teacher may have a thorough understanding oi the possibilities and aptitudes of each girl and boy, and this is certainly impossible if they are faced with the work of teaching large numbers. The difficulty, of course, is one of finance, and that difficulty has'been intensified thi* year by the falling, off in the national income, which will be reflected in decreased Government revenue. Bald statements in the Press, without a recognition of what ' has been done in the direction indicated, give an unfair impression to the general' reader, and I am sure that this is not the.; intention of the members of your federar tion." * ,'_. The federation (states Mr. Renner) i* glad to have the opportunity of acknowledging the efforts made by the Minister t» deal with a very serious defect in th« primary scheme of education. • ' '