RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29330, 8 October 1960, Page 4

RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS

Boards Propose Campaign

(New- Zealand ‘ Press Association) DUNEDIN,. October 7. Education boards must start an intensive campaign to recruit more tggchers, said Mr P. L. Page (Hawke's Bay) at the final session of the Education Boards’ Association’s conference in, Dun* edin. , A remit proposed by. Mr Page > —"That continuous publicity and greater activity by boards be given to the recruitment of teachers” was unanimously adopted by the conference. Mr* Page said that, in the past, the Education Department produced a booklet, posters,' and a small amount of radio advertising to attract teachers. Rut it was up to ‘the boards to take, a greater part in recruiting. “At the moment an advertisement goes in/the paper just a short time before applications for admission to training colleges close. But, by that time, young

people have already made up their minds what they are going to do when they leave school,” he said. “The boards must launch a continuous, all-year-round campaign.” * ’ The conference agreed that the compulsory school starting age for. primary school children should be reduced from seven years to six. A. remit to this effect, submitted by the South Auckland board, was adopted unanimously. Mr J. H. Thomas (South Auckland) said the legislation making seven, the starting age. was introduced in the days when children had to walk long distances to school. Today few children had to walk very for. The number of children who did not attend school until the compulsory starting age was not great