WOMEN TEACHER SHORTAGE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 16

WOMEN TEACHER SHORTAGE

MR A. GREENWOOD’S VIEW ON CAUSES “Our trouble t today is the lack of women teachers, also their reluctance to take up senior positions,” said the Dominion president (Mr A. Greenwood, Christchurch) in his address to the Dominion School Committees' Federation in Christchurch. “There are many reasons for the shortage of teachers,” he said. “One reason for the smaller number of applicants coming forward for training colleges is that the pool from which they would be normally drawn is smaller, because of the low birth-rate of about 17 years ago. Second, the high birth-rate since 1943 has caused the vast increase in roll numbers both at primary and post-primary schools. “In 1905 complaints were made about accommodation, size of classes, and lack of teachers. During the last few years, considerable progress has been made in providing accommodation. classes are down to between 40 and 50 pupils, and this, although not near the ideal of 25 to 30 children, is a considerable improvement on the 60 to 90 pupils a class in the 1900'5,” Mr Greenwood said. On May 8. 1955, the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) had indicated that the new post-primary schools would require 2200 additional teachers within the next five years and that if one allowed simply for a normal increase in the school-age population, another 70 post-primary schools would have to be built by 1965, Mr Greenwood said. Twenty-three new schools had been built since 1950, and 30 more were now being planned. But the Education Gazette of October 1. 1955. listed 510 teaching vacancies at secondary schools and more would have fallen vacant since then. “The postprimary service will have gained about 300 teachers from secondary, technical and homecraft teachers, leaving about 200 more to be provided. These in the main will have to be supplied from the primary school teaching service,” said Mr Greenwood.

“If it is correct that 25 per cent, of the young people who gain School Certificate join the teaching profession. then some very attractive proposals will have to be forthcoming to increase that percentage.” Mr Greenwood said. “A new teachers’ college was opened in Palmerston North in February, but it will be three years before the 160 first-year students become available as fully-trained teachers.”