Educational Institute On Teacher Shortage

Press, Volume C, Issue 29553, 30 June 1961, Page 10

Educational Institute On Teacher Shortage

Practically every problem and practically every potential advance in modern schooling now depended on alleviation of the shortage of teachers, the president of the New Zealand Educational Institute (Mr J. Nesbitt) said in Christchurch yesterday morning. The Government recognised this, he said, and had called a conference on recruiting in Wellington next Wednesday, when the Education Department, teachers’ colleges, teachers’ organisations, and employing authorities would all be asked to help to work out a solution.

“We need quality as well as quantity, so anything that can give more buoyancy to recruitment should ultimately enable selection to be more rigorous.” Mr Nesbitt said.

The institute had three main policy points—better training, smaller classes, and better salaries.

Longer Training The course of training should be a minimum of four years. "We also have plans for certification of teachers through the institute, which would be conditional on attaining a university degree.” said Mr Nesbitt. “The qualifications necessary could be worked out in consultation W'ith the university and granted in the same way as in accountancy and other professions. Consequently we would impose the full discipline of a profession.

“We would expect such higher requirements to attract a higher calibre of entrants,” said Mr Nesbitt. “More important, we would expect them to be better at their job Within such a scheme of registration there would be room for specialised qualifications. For instance, the headmaster of an intermediate school requires different special training from an infant mistress, though both are equally important in the whole concept of education. “Such advances in certification could help recruitment by creating much more interest Our fear at present is that standards may deteriorate through expedients to put people in front of a class,” said Mr Nesbitt. Smaller Classes

Quality of work depended on the teaching in the classroom. Mr Nesbitt said. For 30 years the institute bad advocated a maximum of 35 children in a class, with a long-term objective of 30 But there were scores of classes of more than 40 and about 300 classes were reported to exceed 50 A teacher in training tn the schools was not permitted to take more than 30, so that meant others had to take an additional load often.

“We are well down the scale of so-called forwardlooking countries in the size of classes.” said Mr Nesbitt. Some countries had reduced classes in the face of staff shortages The effect was to make teaching more attractive and bring more recruits Teaching was better.

New Zealand's plight was! now so desperate that the institute could not press for. 'mailer classes immediately Mr Nesbitt said. Some classes were without teachers, many had to have a succession of relievers, and he did not

know what would have happened without superannuitant’s and married women returning to help. "We consider smaller classes a major conditicr to attract and retain teachers.” said Mr Nesbitt. Minimum Salaries The institute would like to be able to concentrate on these aspirations of better training and better classroom renditions, but they could not be expected while the teacher shortage remained “Much as I hate to say it. it gets back to the old question of salaries.” said Mr Nesbitt. “We cannot compete for recruits of the highest ability when, after three years’ professional training, a man starts on £640 a year and a woman on £555 This now seems inadequate for ton'? who are entrusted with toe education of the children of the nation. The institute suggests a minimum of £B5O for men. “Remember,” said Mr Nesbitt, “that these young peonle are being put into large classes—often in prefabricated rooms and often in remote areas—when they could earn as much or more in some modern city office with much less personal responsibility."