Thousands of children had a two-month holiday in 1964 because there was no room for them in school.
So, when they returned to begin their school life, The Fiji Times published an article on February 5 that year on their predicament.
A reporter from this newspaper visited Draiba Fijian Primary along Nasese Rd in Suva and was told to sit on the verandah while waiting. The school spokesperson informed the reporter that there was no room left for new students.
The headmaster at the time, Mr Osborne, advised the reporter that he had admitted 92 new students to the school.
“And I’ve got about 24 on the waiting list,” he said.
The headmaster explained the reason for the overcrowding was that he had to admit students from Raiwai School, which had closed in September the previous year.
“There were 94 children at the school, and we took them in as soon as the school was closed,” he said.
Mr Osborne planned to establish a class at the single men’s hall at Draiba for the “tiny tots”. He said this would help relieve congestion at the main school.
The headmaster of Deenbandhu Primary School in Toganivalu St, Mr K Prasad, said he had admitted 49 children and turned away 37. “I haven’t yet counted how many I have this year, but last year we had 675 on the roll,” he said.
