Conditions For Teachers 'Among Worst In World’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31986, 13 May 1969, Page 32

Conditions For Teachers 'Among Worst In World’

(New Zealand Press Association)

TAURANGA, May 12.

“When captains leave ships they must be sinking,” Mr P.L. Green, regional chairman of the Bay of Plenty Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, said in Tauranga today. He was referring to the departure of not only teachers but principals from the teaching profession.

He told the annual conference of the association that teachers were “voting with their feet.”

More were leaving each year, he said. “Last year there was a 14 per cent annual turnover, and in any other occupation there would be a national inquiry into this.” Mr Green said the secondary teacher’s work-load and working conditions were among the worst in the developed nations. Classes were too large for efficiency and there was too much strain on teachers.

Teachers still worked a 22-24 contact-hour week, compared with a 12-18 contact-hour week overseas.

“We are still overburdened with extraneous and extracurricular activities,” he said. Too many teachers were taking subjects for which they were not qualified by either examination or experience. “According to recent surveys, the average secondary teacher spends well in excess of 50 hours a week on school work, not teaching but on such activities as marking, preparation, sports coaching, supervision, planning, and form-filling. The hours are so great as to necessitate

semi-isolation from the rest of the community,” said Mr Green.

The long holidays were not a “perk.” "Teaching under the present conditions with-

out the holidays would be impossible. The wonder is not that there is a shortage of teachers but that there are any secondary teachers in the schools at all.” The use of the strike as a weapon to gain better teaching conditions and improvements in education was advocated by Mr Green. “A few years ago ‘direct action’ and ‘strike’ were dirty words in many circles within the N.Z.P.P.T.A. Mere mention of such words was considered unprofessional. Today 1 say it is unprofessional not to mention them and think about them, and i unprofessional not to use direct action where we have exhausted normal negotiating channels,” he said. Teachers must cease to wait for a lead, or even much help, from the Government, the Department of Education, parents and the public, but must take action themselves.