SURVEY OF POST-PRIMARY TEACHER SHORTAGE IN N.Z.

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29139, 26 February 1960, Page 17

SURVEY OF POST-PRIMARY TEACHER SHORTAGE IN N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 25. A survey of post-primary teaching staffs throughout the country, taken by the Department of Education this year, is understood to have revealed 150 positions unfilled and at least 700 positions filled with only temporary or part-time staff. Departmental officers and postprimary teachers’ bodies believe the 150 unfilled positions will rise to about 200 when students and graduates now teaching temporarily return to full-time university studies. The fast-growing Waikato area appears the worst hit by the staff shortages, and district high schools are also poorly off for staff. South Island school staffs are believed to be more stable and complete, but even in the South Island the country-wide shortage of mathematics and science teachers is evident, particularly in girls’ schools. Departmental officers do not expect the shortage of mathematics and science teachers to be overcome in the foreseeable future, but are hopeful that there will be enough teachers by 1963 or 1964. Post-primary teachers are not so confident. It is believed they have been looking at the Ptcreasing numbers of children in the Roman Catholic primary schools compared with the number of Roman Catholic secondap' schools able to take these pupils. Eventually, the teachers fay, they

can see overflows into the State schools from the Roman Catholic secondary schools which are already crowded. As an emergency staffing measure “mature and suitably qualified” division C students from teachers’ colleges—all are graduates taking a year’s course in teaching practice—are being released to the schools. Recruiting in Britain The department also appears to have been overwhelmingly successful in its recruiting drive for graduates in Britain. It is believed that Mr S. Utting, the department’s recruiting officer, who has been interviewing applicants since his arrival in London early in January, has had 1200 inquiries and 350 firm applications. Though the original number of jobs he had to offer was 150, the number is now thought to have increased to 170. It is believed he has sought permission to extend his stay, planned originally as two months, to enable him to complete the heavy task of interviewing. He is thought to be interviewing at least eight applicants a day, and also talking to wives, families and prospective wives on New Zealand and living conditions here. Before he left New Zealand, Mr Utting said he hoped some of the British graduate-teachers would be in schools here by May or June.