Shortage Of Teachers

Press, Volume C, Issue 29674, 18 November 1961, Page 10

Shortage Of Teachers

The reaction of some of our correspondents to a leading article on the shortage of teachers has not helped the campaign to attract suitable recruits to the profession--or to discount any impression that teachers are pressing their claims to higher salaries unduly at this stage. We have been accused of being unfair and misleading for daring to suggest that the emphasis on salaries while claims are under consideration by the Government would help neither to get public support for the recognition of special qualifications nor to deal with the difficulties of a manpower shortage that affects other professions, too. The chairman of the Christchurch region of the Postprimary Teachers* Association (Mr T. M. Penny) does not agree with our view that his association’s recent booklet could be interpreted as an attempt to bring pressure on the Government to make salary adjustments. But even in his moderately - worded statement Mr Penny again returned to the association's request for the adoption of the Currie Commission’s

recommendation on salaries. And that was almost the only point made by the booklet It concludes its argument thus: The Government has promised to reconsider this vitally important recommendation m respect of qualification allowances in February of next year In the meantime. the situation in our post-primary schools continues—in s state which is critical and dangerously difficult tor the future of our nation That may not be intended to bring pressure on the Government. What is it intended to do? What other suggestions for alleviating the shortage are made in

the booklet? Only that readers “ can help by trying to persuade youngsters “ you know to take up “ teaching—even though it “be in the midst of one “of the most difficult “ periods in the history of “education in this coun- “ try ”

Some of our correspondents have not helped Mr Penny They certainly give the impression that what they are interested in is salaries, and they have been incensed by our printing without any particular prominence, an Education Department statement on maximum and minimum salaries. One correspondent noted that members of Parliament (who are still paid less than many school teachers) had a rise this year. It should be remembered that teachers had had earlier rises, not shared by M.P.’s, and will get more before Parliamentary salaries are next reviewed in 1964. Does this heat really help teachers to gain public support? They may find it has the reverse effect. The public may think that a young man who has drawn £250 to £640 a year while being given a university education is not doing badly at £Bl5 for his first year’s work at the age of 21 But “The

Press ’ has not at any stage argued that teachers do not have a claim for consideration at various points in a complicated salary scale; and to correct such a misreading of the most recent leading article

it may be appropriate to quote the relevant passage from it: The work good and conscientious teachers do is of fundamental importance to the country The real argument for paying them better is that they deserve It, not that higher salaries would fill the vacancies with possibly unsuitable persons.