Educational Institute Seeks Conciliator

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31750, 6 August 1968, Page 18

Educational Institute Seeks Conciliator

The New Zealand Educational Institute has asked the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) to appoint a conciliator on its claim for higher starting salaries for primary-school teachers.

This information was received by the North Canterbury branch of the institute yesterday from the national secretary (Mr E. J. Simmonds). Mr Simmonds said in his letter that the institute lodged its pay claim with the Direc-tor-General of Education (Dr

K. J. Sheen) last December, but had made no progress. This was the first time a request had been made for a conciliator as provided for in the Education Act, 1964, but the claim was considered so important that all possible steps had to be taken. Low salaries paid during the early years of teaching were false economy, said Mr Simmonds. Many potential recruits with the qualities to make good teachers chose other occupations with better pay and advancement. It was not surprising that the proportion of male primary teachers had dropped from 50 per cent in 1954 to 42 per cent in 1966. As a woman usually stopped working soon after marriage, it was costing the country a lot more in training women replacements for the men who went elsewhere.

Earlier marriage was also having its effect on the loss of trained teachers. In 1956 40 per cent of all marriages were in the 20 to 24 year group, but now the figure was at least 50 per cent. This meant that young men were looking earlier in life for an income to support a family and build a home. If teaching did not provide that, they could not be blamed for leaving' the profession. Apart from that, it was recognised that a teacher with a class had a greater responsibility than many young people who were just finishing their professional training. The institute was asking its younger members for information about salaries and comparative responsibilities of their contemporaries, said Mr Simmonds.