OVERCROWDED CLASSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20519, 21 March 1930, Page 14

OVERCROWDED CLASSES

TECHNICAL COLLEGE PLIGHT.

FEARS FOR NEXT YEAR.

MINISTER TO BE APPROACHED.

"With the existing accommodation ifc will bo impossible to provide for the natural increase of pupils next year," said Mr. 11. S. W. King, chairman of tho board of managers of the Seddon Memorial Technical College, when a report on accommodation was received by tlio board yesterday from the principal, Mr. G. J. Park.

In his report, Mr. Park referred especially to tho restricted spare available for tho evening classes. He stated that tho number of students in attendance on some evenings was 900. The number on the rolls of the 138 classes was 3478. With several of the classes two teachers had been engaged with one class, as rooms were nofc available to permit classes to be divided.

The principal said the position reached this year was such that, if a further increase in numbers occurred in 1931, it would be necessary either to refuse students or to overcrowd the present rooms and so reduce tho efficiency of the college. Tho Education Department had stated that steps would be taken to relieve the pressure, both with respect to day and evening classes, but no indication had been given as to the nature of the steps to be taken. Ifc was stated that a new school was to be built at Otahuhu. Although this would relieve the pressure on the day classes to some extent, the evening classes would be little affected by the provision of a school outside the city. The principal expressed the opinion that the board should be told definitely .what steps the Government intended to take to provide for 1931, and it should have the opportunity of discussing whether the proposed steps were likely to satisfy the needs of the city.

"There is no doubt about the serious nature of the position," said Mr. King. "Wo are unfortunate in that there has been so much procrastination by the Minister of Education in deciding the course which post-primary education will take in tho future. The whole question is now wrapped up in the report which will bo furnished by the Education Committee of Inquiry." In reply to a suggestion that temporary additional accommodation should be found, Mr.; Park said that efforts had been made to obtain the Wellesley Street school, but this was bound up in the future of the old Grammar School and no decision had been reached.

It was decided to forward the principal's report to the Minister, directing his attention to the restricted accommodation, available for evening classes and asking what steps for relief ifc was proposed to take.