SMALLER CLASSES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1930, Page 13

SMALLER CLASSES

IMPROVED POSITION. Information as to how he had taken steps to remedy the evil of overcrowded classes was given by the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) in an address •to the Educational Institute Conference at Wellington on Tuesday. Tho Minister said the position was now very much improved. .When the matter of large classes was brought before him he had taken steps immediately to remedy tho position and had himself reduced the size of Sassos after visiting some schools. He realised that if education was just mass education it was not true education.. He had had a report prepared in consequence of the remarks made at tho teachers’ conference—remarks which. ho was pleased had been made. That report showed that- in ‘February last tho position with regard to the slzo of classes in schools was as follows:—Classes of 31 pupils, 331; 31 to 40, 8-15; 41 to 50, 1175; 51 to 60, 760; 61’ and over, 48. Since February 158 additional assistants had been appointed to those schools. Inspectors had been asked to report 'immediately to the department cases of overcrowding. The Minister said he did not want to be entirely- dependent on the officers of the department, but wanted to get the experience of everyone engaged in education in New Zealand, and-he welcomed co-operation. He wanted it understood that he was in control of the department and the officers were his advisers.