RATIONING WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 16, 20 January 1932, Page 5

RATIONING WORK.

SCHEME FOR TEACHERS. PROBATIONERS INCLUDED. SURPRISE FOR EX-STUDENTS. SALARY OF £100 A YEAE. Under the Education Department's new scheme for rationing teachers, 150 to 100 students, who left the Auckland Training College last December, expecting that they would have continuous employment for one year, will be on the same footing as relieving teachers and will receive a salary at the rate of only £100 a year, in accordance with the provisions of the special relief scheme. To give a full year's employment, as had teen suggested, to the students who left the Training Colleges at the end of last year -,vould render the new scheme much less effective for the purpose for which it was framed, stated a report from the Department, which was before the board this morning.

The Department could not agree, unreservedly, to the suggestion that the number of available additional assistants, estimated at 70, be allotted to the individual boards on a pro rata basis to be allocated to the schools as the board and the senior inspector determined. It might happen that one district might be in particular need of additional assistants, while in another district there was this year no such need. It would still bo necessary for the boards to apply, as in previous years, for approval before appointing additional assistants. Details of Scheme. During 1932 the positions usually filled by probationary assistants, substituted probationary assistants, additional assistants, and relieving teachers of grades A and B would all be regarded as relieving positions and be filled, in accordance with the following scheme, by graded ex-Training College students who would receive a salary at the rate of £100 per annum, and, where necessary, a boarding allowance or travelling expenses. Preference during the first term, would be given to the ex-students who had the least employment during 1931, provided the senior inspector approved of their employment, and the best graded ex-students of 1931 and previous years. In the second term preference would be in favour of the remainder of the ex-students of 1931 and previous years, and the best graded of teachers who wen; employed during the first term. In the third term the best graded ex-students, irrespective of the amount of former employment, would have preference. Review at End First Term. All the 1931 Training College students who qualified for certificates would have these issued to them shortly, and they would be advised of their grading in a few days. Relieving teachers for the higher positions, that is, sole teachers of° large grade two schools, head teachers, and assistants of grade two or higher, did not come within the scope of" this scheme. It was expected that any board finding itself at any time able to employ more than the number of unemployed teachers in its own district would communicate with the Department, in order that relief might be given to less fortu- ! nate districts.

The Department did not wish to save any money by the scheme, but must keep within the sum that had been voted for salaries. It would be necessary, therefore, to review the scheme at the end of the first term to determine whether more or fewer additional assistants should be approved for the second and third terms. • Chairman Explains Effect. Mr. A. Burns, chairman of the board, said that the principle of the special scheme was to give a fair share of employment to alt ex-students. It would come us a great surprise to students who left college last December that they were to be employed for only a part of the year; but the Department had taken the view that all ex-stud'ente should be treated in the same way, whether they had been out of college one, two, three or more yeais on probationary work. When last year's students went away for their holidays they had no idea that they would be deprived of full-time employment for this year. The salary now attached to relieving positions was £100 a year, instead of £140, lees 10 per cent, for men, and £135, less 10 per cent, for women. The board had been informed that the scheme had been approved by the Minister of Education and the New Zealand Educational Institute.