Use Of Uncertificated Teachers Deplored

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32298, 16 May 1970, Page 44

Use Of Uncertificated Teachers Deplored

(New Zealand Press Association) ROTORUA, May 15. Members of the Educational Institute have expressed grave concern over the use of uncertificated teachers by some education boards.

An institute member said today at its meeting in Rotorua that he was willing, if it was institute policy, to refuse to teach alongside uncertificated teachers.

Mr J. Mulheron, Wellington, said he would make this move if institute policy demanded it. Mr T. I. D. McLennan, of Auckland said, in moving that the institute reaffirm its policy of deploring the employment of uncertificated

teachers, that it had come to notice over the last few months that several education boards were employing such teachers.

He said the teaching profession was demanding more status as a professional body, but to offset this there were a number of uncertificated teachers creeping in. “This sort of situation was good enough after World War 11, but not in 1970," he said. Mr G. Tunnlcliffe, Taranaki, said some headmasters would be torn between two loyalties—to pupils and to

“This sort of situation was good enough after World War 11, but not in 1970," he said. Mr G. Tunnlcliffe, Taranaki, said some headmasters would be torn between two loyalties—to pupils and to the institute.

In an effort to keep staff loads down and to give the pupil a chance, a headmaster might employ an uncertificated teacher who could do the job, Mr Tunnicliffe said. Mr B. W. Kelly, Wellington, a member of the institute’s executive, said the definition of a teacher required the teacher to undergo a period of rigorous training. This training was undertaken even if a qualified teacher left the profession and returned to it at a later date. “We are concerned with sheer consistency,” Mr Kelly said.

Mr B. F. Shepherd, Otago, said a teacher shortage was making the employment of uncertificated teachers necessary. This could be alleviated by going overseas, and employing teachers, as ’was the case with secondary schools.

■ The institute’s new president (Mr H. M. Hunter. Auckland), said that by the third term of this year there could be a shortage of 200 teachers in the Auckland area. It was a case of the institute having to decide whether it should press for the employment of only certificated teachers. This would mean heavier class loads and would defeat one of the institute’s major issues, that of reducing, class numbers. Mr Hunter said the solution to the problem was to bring in teachers from outside.