Bulging classes bring warning

By STUART DYE

The secondary teachers' union is looking at limiting class sizes to stop children being crammed into classrooms.

The Post-Primary Teachers' Association will hear today that teachers and students are suffering from overcrowding

The problem is particularly acute in Auckland but is also being felt in most other parts of the country, says Martin Henry, the association's Auckland branch chairman.

In a paper he will present to the union's annual conference in Wellington today, Mr Henry claims that teacher shortages, the NCEA workload, new policy initiatives and inaccurate roll predictions are all contributing to overcrowded classrooms.

This destroyed teachers' ability to do their job, putting students' education at risk and creating health and safety issues.

The association will look at forming a taskforce to investigate the problem and report on the possibility of limiting class sizes.

"There are classes in Auckland that have up to 40 students and that is intolerable," said Mr Henry.

He had heard of one class of 34 science students made up of a mix of Maori, Pacific, Pakeha and Asian, all with individual needs.

"Rather than being able to meet the multifarious needs of these students, a teacher in this situation is able to do little more than struggle to maintain an environment which is not dangerous."

Mr Henry said it was "unhealthy, unsafe and educationally unsound" to be teaching such large groups.

"It's not all classes in all schools but it's happening often enough to become a serious concern."

Ideal class sizes were probably between 20 and 25 students, depending on subject and school.

Ironically, one of the main reasons for the apparent sudden growth in student numbers is the mandatory four hours' non-contact time each teacher is entitled to every week.

The union had argued for this measure, which was introduced at the start of this school year.

But extra teachers supplied to fill the gap had "slipped into the school nooks and crannies" and had been used for other purposes, said Mr Henry.

Another factor was the number of schemes, such as truancy initiatives, schools were forced to adopt.

The taskforce will investigate the possibility of limiting class sizes, the capacity of the system to deliver extra teachers and funding responsibilities.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard declined to comment until he has read Mr Henry's paper.