TEACHERS’ PAY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 16

TEACHERS’ PAY

“Public Being Misled”

(NM. Frees >lMoetahon» WELLINGTON, Nov. 15. The Education Department’s figures on post-pri-mary teachers’ salaries "don't quite Veil the full story,” said Mr A. G. A. Baigent, president of the PostPrimary Teachers’ Association, tonight. He was commenting on figure® released by the department after statements about the inadequacy of |x>st-pri-mary teachers’ salaries made at a public meeting in Wellington earlier this week. Mr Baigent said the department had cited £2163. plus a married allowance of £7O, a« the top figure for med principals and £2050 for women in poet-primary schools.

“Nowhere near all principals reach these figures—and indeed barely 1 per cent, of teachers can expect to attain these posts.” he said. “To have been realistic the department should have quoted the salary ranges as from £1590 to £2165. plus married allowances, for men and from £1495 to £2050 for women ”

Mr Baigent said he considered the department was really misleading the public When it quoted a starting salary for teachers of £Bl5 for men and £725 for women “These figures are for those teachers with a master’s degree, but no study at training college, or for teachers with a bachelor's degree, plus a year at training college,” he said. “tn any case, it is hardly a figure to be proud of as these teachers would have spent at least four years in university or training college study.” On the question of salaries of post-primary first assistants, Mr Baigent said the salary scale ranged from £1430 to £ 1720, plus married allowances, for men and from £ 1240 to £ 1615 for women, according to the age of schools. Yet only the figures at the top of the scale had been quoted—figures which, in some cases, were higher than those for principals of smaller schools.