UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 5

UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS

VOLUNTARY SERVICES. ATTITUDE OF THE BOARD. REPLY TO CEITICISM. The motive of the action of the Auckland Education Board in finding a position for a young woman teacher in order that she might maintain her efficiency until such time as she could obtain a permanent appointment was explained this morning by the chairman of the board, Mr. A. Burns. The board has been criticised by correspondents for deciding to seek the authority of the Education Department to compensate teachers by way of grading marks for any voluntary service they might give. The position was found for the applicant at her own request, to enable her to practice her profession until such time as she could secure relieving work, said Mr. Burns. The question of giving grading marks for such service was discussed, but the senior inspector did not know whether it would be possible to do so. The decision of the board was actuated by the fact that the teacher would be able to improve her position by the voluntary service she desired to undertake, and, incidentally, would be lifted out of any depression which she might feel through being out of employment. There was no question of offering grading marks instead of monetary reward, as had been suggested, for it remained with the Education Department to say whether any compensation of that kind would be given. No further applications of the nature of that received from the young woman accommodated had so far been received, nor had there been any suggestion, of extrainees of the training college desiring to return to the institution for further instruction until they could secure positions.. Such a position had l not been considered by the board, which was anxious to be fair to everybody. Questioned as to the advisability of closing the training college for a period in order that unemployment among teachers might be relieved, Mr. Burns said that in considering such a proposal the students now at the college had to be considered. Even if the Department decided in the coming year to reduce considerably the number of entrants, it would take three or four years for the position to adjust itself, because the training of students was spread over four years. Last year the number of entrants was reduced, but not to any great .extent. Unemployment among teachers had existed for the past two years or so, and the trouble appeared to be that the Department had estimated its requirements on past years'- experiences, whereas the retirements on account of marriage and other reasons had not besn so great. That was, no doubt, a reflection of the depression.