NEW SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27499, 20 September 1950, Page 10

NEW SCHOOLS

Needs Of Future MINISTER’S REVIEW PA WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. A problem of very great urgency facing the Government, according to the Minister of Education, Mr. Algie, is the provision of accommodation for pupils in both primary and. postprimary schools. In his annual report, tabled in the House of Representatives today, Mr Algie says that new primary schools of relatively large size will be needed in certain areas and new post-primary schools will have to be built in some of the suburban districts in both the North and South Islands. Mjr, Algie gives detailed figures showing how the increased number of births in recent years will affect school populations in the immediate future. The total number of public and Maori school enrolments of children aged_five and upwards is estimated at 255,800 for 1950, 266,900 for 1951, 282,900 for 1952, 296,800 for 1953. and 308.100 for 1954. “If these additional pupils were to be accommodated in all the public schools in proportion to the present enrolments, no great problems would arise,” says Mr Algie. “ This is not the case, however, and new schools of relatively large size will be needed. Because of shifts in population from locality to locality, equipment and facilities for schools and additional teachers will also be needed.” Mr Algie says that the Government faces an equally pressing situation in accommodating the steadily increasing number of post-primary pupils. He gives estimates of the roll numbers for public post-primary schools as 48,400 in 1951, 50,300 in 1952, 52.800 in 1953, 56,700 in 1954, 60,900 in 1955, and 62.200 in 1956. . In the past shortages of essential materials for schools have slowed down the rate of construction, but Mr Algie says this should not prove to be quite so serious in the future. A large building programme lies ahead, however, and to complete it a fast rate of construction will have to be maintained if schools are to be ready when they are actually needed.