Education Bill Section Praised

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 3

Education Bill Section Praised

GVew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 19. The disciplinary section of the new Education Bill was a great advance towards the day when the teaching profession could discipline its own members, the president of the New Zealand Education Institute, Mr G. C. Chap-man-Cohen) said in a statement today.

The bill would give teachers the right to have their own member on an education board of inquiry and for the person concerned to be represented by a lawyer.

Mr Chapman-Cohen said there had been almost clause by clause discussion with teachers’ organisations since the first draft of the bill had been prepared more than five years ago.

All the disciplinary clauses had been discussed with the Director of Education and many objections had been overcome.

Negotiations were continuing and it was expected some other dispute clauses would also be changed. Disciplinary clauses at present in force were based on various inconsistent board by-laws and were interpreted differently by 10 education boards. “It is far better for teachers’ morale that there should be one effective and uniform authority setting out clearly what a teacher should not do. They are entitled to know this for their own protection.”

The institute was optimistic about the effects of the bill. Increasing co-operation and consultation among teachers, the education boards and the Education Department disproved the suggestion that the bill was intended as a “tough measure.”