More than 1,000 CedarBridge Academy students have signed up for design and technology courses, forcing the school to double up some classes.

Principal Ernest Payette told The Royal Gazette he understood why the courses -- which include electronics, media and graphical communications, motor engineering, and wood work -- were so popular.

But he said the imbalance was neither ideal nor predicted.

"We are just overwhelmed with the demand because we only have one motor engineering shop,'' he said. "We're going to basically try to have two classes going on at the same time. This is not the ideal situation. But if we do not do this, we will either have to limit the number of students who have access to that area or increase the facilities.'' According to statistics released by deputy principal John Walsh, an average of 300 students have signed up for each of the design and technology classes compared to an average of 160 for arts and crafts courses.

The arts include dance, instrumental music, speech and drama (theatre), and vocal music.

"They are the areas we have to do whatever we can to develop in order to spread the balance around,'' Mr. Walsh said. "We have wonderful facilities.

There's no reason why students can't experience those.'' Mr. Payette attributed less interest in arts courses to students' lack of familiarity with them.

"Part of the difficulty is that many of the arts options have never been offered before and therefore students have not been exposed to them,'' he said.

"Our Year Three programmes are very well subscribed in the arts. We have good enrolment in dance, drama, and music. But there is room for more.'' Mr. Payette added that he expected the oversubscription to balance out over time.

"Hopefully, when Berkeley comes on line, that will be able to ease us up,'' he said. "It is certainly a challenge. I would never have predicted this.'' Ernest Payette