National Campaign To Gain Teachers

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 13

National Campaign To Gain Teachers

(New Zealand Preet Ataociation) WELLINGTON, March 28.

A national teacher recruitment campaign conducted by the Department of Education, education boards and teachers* organisations will begin immediately, a national conference on the recruitment of teachers decided today. Teaching applications will close on July 15 but a further phase of the recruiting campaign will be put into operation later in the year if necessary.

The conference, called by the Education Boards' Association. was attended by representatives of the Educational Institute, the PostPriimary Teachers' Association. the Secondary Schools Boards' Association. the Dominion Federation of School Committees’ Association and the department. The possibility of a reduction in the number of suitable students entering training college next year because of the raising of minimum qualifications of entrants to endorsed school certificate was discussed. The ’'personal touch” in recruitment will be emphasised this year. Education board officers will visit postprimary schools and district high schools and will speak to fifth and sixth form pupils and distribute pamphlets on teaching. Pupils wild be invited to visit training colleges and primary schools to get firsthand experience in teaching

The department will embark on a teacher recruitment campaign on a national basis by advertising. Rsmphlets and other material will be prepared for distribution to schools and parents A special effort will be made to attract hack to teaching, trained teachers, including married women not teaching now. Recruitment officers attached to the Auckland. South Auckland and Wellington education boards reported on results of the recruiting campaign, last year. Results of a survey carried out at the teachers' colleges in Auckland and Hamilton in which 1500 students were asked to give the factors which influenced them Ift entering the coUegee were preeented. From information supplied by the students, it was apparent that teachers, parents and friends played a major part in a derision to enter teaching. The secretary-manager of the Auckland Education Board (Mr L. J. McCarthy) was chairman.