REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEES OF THE (CABE), PAMPHLET NO. 13 (1946)

 REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS
 COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRAL
 ADVISORY BOARD OF EDUCATION IN
 INDIA, 1946

At their sixth meeting held in January 1941 the Central Advisory Board of Education had under consideration the desirability of setting up an expert. committee to examine what steps could be taken in the interests of efficiency and economy to improve the planning, construction and equipment of school buildings.

The Board were in agreement as to the importance of taking steps to ensure that school buildings should be designed in future with closer attention to modern scientific standards in regard to accommodation, lighting, ventilation and sanitation and with due regard to economy. The Board recognised that a certain amount of experimental work had already been done in this sphere in different parts of India but decided that in order to collate the results of these experiments as well as to consider problems which have not yet been tackled, it would be desirable to appoint a special Committee to prepare a report for the guidance of all authorities concerned with the provision of school buildings. The Board accordingly set up a Committee consisting of the Provincial Directors of Public Instruction or their nominees, and representatives of some of the larger States in India, with the Educational Commissioner with the Government of India as its Chairman. This Committee was given power to co-opt and/or consult such experts as they might think desirable. The Committee as finally constituted met at New Delhi on the 30th and 31st October and 1st November 1941. The following members were present:-

John Sargent, Esq., M.A,, C.I.E., Educational Commissioner with the Government of India. (Chairman.)

W. H. F. Armstrong, Esq,., M.A., I.E.S., Director of Public Instruction Punjab.

S. M. Azam Esq., Offg. Director of Public Instruction, Hyderabad Deccan.

J. M. Bottomley, Esq., C.I.E., I.E.S., Director of Public Instruction Bengal.

A. W. H. Dean, Esq., C.I.E., M.C., Superintending Engineer, Delhi Province.

A. Gopala Menon, Esq., M.A., B.Com. (Lond.), Director of Public instruction, Travancore.

Dr. G. G. R. Hunter, M.A., D. Phil. (Oxon.), F.R.A I., I.E.S., Director of Public Instruction, Central Provinces and Berar.

Dr. Jyotindra, Markand Mehta, M.A. (Oxon.), Ph.D. (Lond.), Bar.at-Law, Commissioner of Education, Baroda.

J. Leitch Wilson, Esq., M.A., Superintendent of Education in Baluchistan.

E. G. Mcalpine, Esq, M.A. Director of Public Instruction, Mysore.

M. A Mirza, Esq., C.E. (Lond.), Chief Engineer and Secretary to, H. E. H the Nizam's Government in the Public Works Department, Hyderabad.

S. N. Moos, Esq., I.E.S., Director of Public Instruction, Bombay..

J. C. Powell-Price, Esq., C I.E., I.E S., Director of Public Instruction, United Provinces.

D. S. Reddy, Esq, MA, (Oxon.), M.B.E, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Madras.

S. C. Roy, Esq., I E.S., Director of Public Instruction, Assam.

K. G. Saiyidain, Esq., B.A., M.Ed., . Director of Education, Kashmere.

Surendra Nath Kar, Esq., Architect, Visva-bharati, Santiniketan, Bengal.

W. W. Wood, Esq, F.R.I.B.A., M.I.Struc.E., Principal, Delhi Polytechnic, Delhi.

Mr. A. S. Khan, I.E.S., Director of Public Instruction, Bihar. Khan Sahib Khan Shah Alam Khan, M.A., LL.B., Directer of Public, Instruction, North-West Frontier Province, Shamsul-Ulema Dr. U, M. Daudpota, M.A Ph.D., Director of Public Instruction. Sind and Mr. S. C. Tripathi, I.E.S , Director of Public Instruction, Orissa, were unable to attend. The agenda and other papers circulated with it to the Members of the Committee will be found in Annexures I, II and III. In addition a Note on primary school buildings in rural areas by Dr. G. G. R. Hunter was circulated previous to the meeting (Annexure IV).

In opening proceedings the Chairman welcomed the Members of the Committee and explained briefly the reasons which had led to its being set up. He stated that during the last ten years a considerable amount of research work had been done in the western countries and in particular by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology, Great Britain in co-operation with Education Authorities with the object of determining the environmental conditions under which both teachers and children would be capable of the maximum out put without undue fatigue. They had been led to undertake this enquiry in view of the surprisingly successful results which had attended a similar investigation into factory conditions. The outcome of the enquiry had more than justified the labour and expense involved and lead shown that there were scientific principles which if applied to the design and planning of schools would greatly improve their efficiency without necessarily increasing their cost. It had been conclusively shown that it was possible to prescribe and secure standards particularly in, regard to lighting, heating and ventilation which eliminated unnecessary strain and fatigue, and thereby increased output. The fact had of course to be recognised that a large number of schools in this country were housed in buildings that were never intended to be used as schools and that even in the case of new schools, financial considerations, tended everywhere to determine construction. At the same time, he felt that in India, where climatic conditions might simplify, the building problem in some places and complicate it in others, any practical contribution towards the solution of the issue submitted to the Committee would be of immediate value to every, authority responsible for the erection or provision of schools. In his opinion the function of the Committee was not to attempt to prescribe building standards for universal adoption but having due regard to essential educational requirements, climatic considerations and the need for economy to indicate possible , alternatives in the way of school planning and Construction for the guidance of All authorities concerned with these matters.

Scope of the Enquiry.- Although the terms, of reference do not delimit,in any way the extent of the enquiry, the Committee first considered whether it would desirable and practicable to extend the investigation to cover educational institutions beyond the high school stage. It was felt that as the planning of technical and art institutions, university colleges and universities, and even training colleges and normal schools, would be largely determined by the particular nature of the work which they would be called upon to undertake and as this would vary from institution to institution to a greater or less degree, the prescribing of any schedule of accommodation, arrangement of buildings, etc.,

that would be generally applicable, would be an impossible task. It was, however, agreed that it might be feasible to lay down certain principles' which might be observed in the design and planning of the buildings for such institutions. (cf. Section 13).

2. Class room area per pupil.-The Committee felt that as the principal unit in the types of school under consideration is and is likely to remain the ordinary class room, they should start by determining the superficial and cubic area Which each pupil should be allotted in a room of this kind in order to secure for him or her reasonable space for movement and an adequate supply of fresh air. The standard prescribed by the Board of Education, England, is 10 sq. ft. for every pupil under 11 years of age and 12 sq. ft. for those over 11 with a minimum height of 11 ft., if the room has a flat ceiling. It was recognised that in England class rooms at all stages of education would be provided with desks or with chairs and tables and that the presence of furniture involved a greater demand on floor space than the habit of sitting on the floor, which prevalent throughout primary schools in India. On the other hand climatic conditions in many parts of India increase the importance as well as the difficulty of securing an adequate air supply for every pupil.

The Committee came to the conclusion that 10 sq. ft. should be recommended as the minimum floor area per pupil in Primary School and 12 sq., ft. in Middle and High Schools. The minimum height of class rooms should be 12 ft. but this should be interpreted as the average mean height where the roofs are not flat. It was agreed that this height might be reduced by 1 foot or possibly more when one or more sides of the class room are entirely open to the air. The height should in no case be reduced below the level necessary to secure both sufficient natural lighting and efficient heating (or cooling as the case may be).

The same floor and air space would be required for girls as for boys.

3. Minimum sizes of rooms.-(a) Ordinary class rooms.-Having set out what they regard as the minimum superficial and cubic space which is required for each pupil, the Committee with the object of deciding the size of an ordinary class room proceeded to consider the maximum number of pupils which it should be designed to accommodate. This they agreed should be fixed at 40 in Primary Schools and at 35 in Middle and High Schools, the standard to be the same both for boys and girls and for schools in urban and in rural areas. It would, however, obviously promote economic construction and facilitate the transfer of schools from one grade to another as required, if the class rooms in all types of schools in the same area could be of a uniform size. The adoption of what is known as the convertible unit has proved of the utmost utility in schemes for educational reorganisation in Great Britain where a school planned for junior children might subsequently be required for seniors and vice versa. On the basis of 10 sq. ft. each for 40 Pupils in a Primary School and 12 sq. ft. each for 35 in a Middle and High School as suggested in the previous paragraph the minimum floor area for a class room would vary between 400-420 sq. feet in the type of school now under consideration. The Committee therefore came to the conclusion that a minimum floor area of 400 sq. ft. or a little over might safely be prescribed for the ordinary class room in any type of school, though where funds permit this might be extended up to 480 sq. ft. with advantage from the purely educational standpoint.

(b) Special rooms.-The Committee next considered the floor areas which should be provided for laboratories and practical rooms, i.e, rooms for the teaching of various arts, and crafts in schools of different type. So far as Primary Schools are, concerned, it was felt unnecessary to have

any special provision for science teaching and for practical work since in neither case at this stage would the use of any but the simplest apparatus or equipment be involved and an ordinary class room of the size already prescribed should be large enough to satisfy normal requirements. In those schools, however, which provide specially for infants and nursery classes there should be rooms of 600 sq. ft. for these, since very small children need approximately 50 per cent more floor space for the free movement which is now accepted as an essential feature of kindergarten training. In Middle Schools which do not form part of High Schools and will in most cases serve rural areas, it is unlikely that science will be taught on lines which will involve much practical work. requiring the use by students of anything beyond very simple apparatus. In most schools also it will be found necessary to divide classes for science so that the average size will not exceed go. It was therefore felt that a room of the ordinary class room size, i. e., a 400 sq. ft. unit, would suffice. Where, however, it was found necessary or desirable that a whole class (i. e , max. of 35-40) should take science together, it was suggested that two 400 sq. ft. class room units with a removable partition could be combined when required into a science laboratory of 800 sq. ft.

In High Schools it was agreed that both for science laboratories and for arts and crafts a room equivalent in area to two class room units, viz., 800 sq. ft. would be needed for a half class.

4. Minimum accommodation required in schools of various types- Having thus defined the floor area of the main types of room required in a school building by multiplying the number of pupils in a given class by the number of sq. ft. which each of them needs for reasonably comfortable and hygienic working, the Committee next considered what should be the minimum accommodation (including rooms both for the teaching and non-teaching purposes) which ought to be provided for schools of different sizes at each of the three main stages of education with which they are concerned, viz., Primary Schools, Middle Schools (which do not form part of High Schools), High Schools (including middle sections). The Committee wish to make it clear that in drawing up a schedule of accommodation they have no intention of trying to lay down hard and fast rules. Their main, object is to indicate in a fairly precise way the minimum accommodation which in their opinion will allow, school of varying sizes at the three different stages specified to work efficiently In the interests of economy which is a consideration of paramount, importance in most parts of India so far as school building is concerned, they have not suggested the provision of any rooms which, however, desirable cannot be regarded as essential. For instance there can be little question that a separate hall is extremely desirable for corporate activities in a large Primary or Middle School ; similarly in a large High School a separate Hall and gymnasium and, when any considerable number of pupils take meals at school, a separate dining room will not only add enormously to the amenities of the school but will also greatly facilitate the task of Organisation. Extra accommodation of this kind should certainly be provided when funds allow.

The schedules of accommodation set out below have been drawn up with due regard to the activities covered by the normal curriculum schools of the type specified. The Committee recognise that whenever the curriculum departs from the normal, e.g., in giving a much greater amount of time to handicrafts, more practical rooms and possibly less ordinary class rooms will be required. It is also not the intention of the Committee to suggest that the sizes of school chosen by them for the

purpose of illustration are either those that commonly exist or those that should be adopted for ideal organisation. The reasons which led to their selection will no doubt be sufficiently apparent. At the same time it is desirable to point out that in cases where the size of school need not be finally determined by the number of pupils available, there is an optimum size at each stage of education which enables the most economic use to be made of the accommodation and staff, and in particular of the special rooms and specialist teachers. For example, if there are 30 teaching periods in a school week and the average number of periods per week which each class or half-class devotes to a practical subject such as wood and metal work or spinning and weaving or domestic science is three, then a school with ten classes or half-classes will enable the special room and teacher provided for each of these subjects to be fully employed, If there are fewer classes than ten, then expensive accommodation and equipment and a specialist teacher will be standing idle part of the time while if there are more, additional special rooms and teachers will be required and these again will not be fully employed until the number of classes doubles the original figure. Classes however cannot be multiplied indefinitely for there is a fundamental educational consideration which ought always to limit size. When any school gets beyond a certain number-experience suggests about 500 pupils-it begins to lose certain characteristics which are essential to the conception of a good school, e.g , the Head is no longer able to maintain contact with individual pupils and parents and the pupils themselves cease to be conscious of being members of a living corporate entity.

On the other hand a warning must be uttered against any assumption that the organization of the school can or ought to be unduly simplified purely in the interest of economising space. Apart from the splitting of classes for science and practical subjects which is usual throughout the world, most schools in India are faced with a further cross-classification to provide for language teaching. The provision of a reasonable margin of accommodation particularly at the higher stages is consequently inevitable. The Committee have met this need by recommending the provision of a class room for each class or class section in addition to laboratories and practical rooms. When the latter are used to anything like their full capacity, it must fallow that there will always be some class rooms available for language groups.

Before drawing up a schedule the Committee examined the needs of schools of the three new types for teaching and non-teaching accommodation.

(a) Primary Schools.-There are certain needs common to all primary Schools. The Committee are strongly of opinion that to secure the conditions necessary for effective teaching each teacher whether in charge of one or more classes or class sections should have a class room to himself.

The Committee also recognise the educational advantage of every school having some place where all the pupils can be assembled from time to time for school functions, religious exercises and other forms of corporate activity, and which in variable climates can be used for physical training, music, rhythmical exercises, dramatics, etc., which require more space than that afforded by the ordinary class-room. For reasons given earlier in this report they are unable to regard the provision of separate halls as an essential part of the accommodation of a Primary School. At the same time they think that other less expensive means might be found of providing the space required. The most obvious of these is to arrange that the partitions between class rooms should be capable of being removed and replaced so that two or more class rooms can be thrown

together when a larger room is required. The Committee do not favour the movable partition commonly used in schools in Europe partly owing to its cost and partly because it would be unlikely to stand up to Indian climatic conditions. It was however suggested that partitions might be made of bamboo or other light screens which could be easily lifted out and put back, though doubts were expressed as to whether partitions of this nature would be effective in excluding sound and possible disturbance from the adjoining class room. The most promising alternative appeared to lie in an extended use of verandahs. Various designs (which will be incorporated in the proposed book of school plans) were suggested for enlarging verandahs so that they might provide some at any rate of the facilities normally afforded by a school hall. Apart from their use in this particular capacity the Committee wished to emphasise the importance of verandahs in all types of school buildings and particularly in those for schools in rural areas. In many districts a verandah will be an essential protection against excessive heat or heavy rain. , It can also be used for open air classes in suitable weather. To be of the greatest use in these connections it should not be less than 8 ft. in depth. Its position in the plan will naturally be determined by the orientation of the main building which should itself be influenced so far as possible by the climatic conditions prevailing in the area.

REPORT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD OF EDUCATION IN INDIA, 1946