Pupils get the right chair for the job
The Aucklander October 2004 by Martha McKenzie-Minifie

Research aims to stop thousands of Auckland school children sitting for hours in wrong-sized chairs.

Weight, height, age and ethnic details of about 15,000 students is being gathered to fit a revolutionary, new ergonomic school chair for Kiwi children.

Furnware research co-ordinator Pat Kane says an earlier Massey University study showed that 96 per cent of school students used wrong-sized furniture - possibly making it harder to learn or causing later health problems. "It's thought to be a major cause of back and neck issues," he says. Mr Kane hopes to see correct-sized chairs in all Auckland classrooms as soon as possible.

Just as the spotlight has fallen on the weight and fit of children's school backpacks, so the furniture children spend their days sitting on is also under scrutiny.

Mr Kane says the company's current ground-breaking research is set to end the "one-size-fits-all" approach currently seen throughout the school system, which extends from learning styles through to furniture.

Farm Cove Intermediate students measured by Mr Kane and his team last week show the different sizes of students.

At 1.69m tall, Ben Liu stands head and shoulders over his 1.43m tall friend, Yoshi Lim.

In some classes the height difference is even greater.

Farm Cove principal Madeline East says schools aim to turn out healthy, happy students and focus on more than just children's academic performance.

"We have to look at the whole picture in schools. We are looking at fitness and this is also part of that challenge."

She says budget constraints mean the cost of new, flexible furniture will have a big impact: " I think it will be a gradual process for schools."

Massey University lecturer Professor Stephen Legg is seeking funding for further funding, mainly to find out whether school furniture can cause problems later on in life.