Administrators Wanted; Schools With Big Rolls

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29952, 13 October 1962, Page 12

Administrators Wanted; Schools With Big Rolls

(N Z. Press Association) - WELLINGTON, October 12. t Parliament was told today that headmasters of big schools spent too much time dealing with blocked drains, swimming 'pools, broken windows and birds’ nests in the roof. Mr A. J. Faulkner (Opposition, Roskill) said this in making a plea for non-teaching administrators to be appointed in schools with rolls exceeding about 700.

“A headmaster is sometimes a bit of a janitor." Mr Faulkner said. “He should be relieved of some of the paperwork and management work to give academic leadership to his teaching staff. “A good headmaster is not necessarily a good administrator.

“In big schools of 1500 pupils and 70 or 80 teachers, both the headmaster and first assistant should be able to concentrate on getting the best teaching out of the teachers." The Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) said that a survey would be made of schools throughout New Zealand to see what could be done on a constructive basis.

Answering a plea by Mr D. J. Carter (Government. Raglan) for secondary school hostels, especially one for Hamilton, Mr Tennent said that the question of university. training college and secondary school hostels was being investigated by a subcommittee of the Cabinet. “We want an agreed policy for all three. We hope to put a proposal to the Cabinet in a week or so,” he said. Mr Tennent told the House the teacher shortage had been temporarily overcome. He recited a long list of measures which had been introduced to improve the situation.

These had achieved quite satisfactory results for the time being—“but have not cured the problem." Mr Tennent said he had heard only one complaint of

a definite staff shortage in the course of visiting 31 postprimary schools in the last eight months. Sixty-four per cent, of postprimary teachers now had degrees. he said. This was the highest percentage for years. He said 90 per cent, of the 600 British post-primary teachers which had been brought to New Zealand had degrees.