Teacher Recruitment Plans Of Minister

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 13

Teacher Recruitment Plans Of Minister

(New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, August 25.

The teacher shortage could be overcome—but it would be done at the expense of an improvement aimed at the long-term quality of the post-primary service, said the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) yesterday.

Mr Tennent was speaking at the annual conference of the parent-teacher movement at Massey University College of Manawatu.

If the Education Department was content to recruit teachers from school leavers with school certificate as their highest academic qualification, it could look forward to a considerably larger intake this year, he said. But it had been recognised for a long time that three years’ secondary schooling was not enough preparation far teacher training. The Commission on Education recommended that recruitment should in future be from young people with sixth form leaving qualifications. The commission recommended that this change should be done this year, and it had been.

This decision had a number of far-reaching implications. The ultimate goal would be to have university entrance qualifications for teaching. But the first step to this goal was to recruit solely from sixth form leavers. “I have been aware that recruitment from the sixth form will bring its own problems.” said Mr Tennent. “From this year onwards teaching will be in full competition with all

other major professions—lts recruits will have to be attracted from rhe pool of sixth form leavers.

“I certainly do not underestimate this problem. The Government had it very much in mind recently when it approved the commission’s recommendations for a longer course of training for primary teachers, and smaller classes. “These two improvements will do much to raise the status of the primary service, and in doing so will make it more attractive to new recruits.” Department’s Dilemma But the determination to have better qualified teachers placed the department in a dilemma, said Mr Tennent. There would be Jimits to the numbers that could be recruited into the sendee. On the other hand, because of the expected demand for more teachers during the next 10 years, plans for qualitative improvement must inevitably be conditioned by the needs of the schools. Mr Tennent said he believed the proper thing to do with a dilemma, however, was to take it by the horns. There could be no question of choosing between quantity

and quality. Both must be had. This meant that the department must be active, not only in recruiting new teachers, but also in attracting trained teachers back to the service and in retaining the service of those already serving in the schools.

“This calls for action on many fronts,” he said. “I have been encouraged by the results of the various measures the Government introduced towards the end of 1961. A number were aimed at attracting teachers, particularly qualified women, back to the classroom.

“All told, just under onethird of those joining the primary service last year were trained teachers rejoining after a break in service.

“I have no doubt that this is going to be a continuing and very valuable source of recruitment in future years.” A start had been made in three of the largest educacation board districts with personnel work with teachers, said Mr Tennent. This work was not yet fully developed, but there was good reason for this. During the last two years and again this year it had been arranged for the boards to conduct extensive recruitment campaigns. At the heart of every teacher’s work was the curriculum he was required to teach and there was scarcely a subject taught in the schools that had not undergone important changes, either of subject matter or teaching method. New Readers New readers had been introduced in infant schools, and new approaches to the beginnings of arithmetic had been tested. In the sixth forms, important changes in physics were now well established.

Education Department officers and experienced teachers were now reviewing chemistry and biology to see what changes were needed. However, it was in the middle of the school system —between form I and form IV—that the most comprehensive and far-reaching changes were being made. Mathematics science and a foreign language were to be introduced into the form I curriculum.

“What is needed now is the development of a stronger curriculum unit within the department,” said Mr Tennent. “I recently authorised the first steps to be taken on this development.

“A new post of curriculum development officer has been advertised, and the new appointee will have the broad responsibility for the revision and development of the curriculum. During the next few years the problems of the curriculum on forms I to IV will claim his special attention, and attention of those who work in the curriculum unit. “The other side of this problem—helping teachers to keep abreast of changes—is being tackled through the whole network of in-service training. ’ *