Welfare of pupils

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32860, 8 March 1972, Page 22

Welfare of pupils

The Department of Education should reshape administration in large secondary schools to create more positions of responsibility to help cope with the increased need for pupil welfare services, the headmaster of Hillmorton High School (Mr P. W. Murdoch) said on Monday eventing-

Mr Murdoch was informing the school’s board of I governors that he has advertised a public relations position for the social welfare of third form pupils at the school.

“Pupil welfare is now a distinct problem, particularly in the larger schools,” he said.

Although Hillmorton’s roll of 1066 was not too large in comparison with those of some secondary schools in New Zealand, it had reached the stage where there was a special need for more teachers to be concerned with the individual welfare of pupils. The third form area was. a critical one in this respect, Mr Murdoch said. He criticised the Department of Education for being slow to cope with the problem, considering that recommendations on the subject had been made as much as six years ago.

The teacher who is appointed to the public relations position will be responsible for the academic and social problems encountered by the third form pupils, and will deal with any problems of communication they may have.

Mr Murdoch said it may get to the stage that two deputy principals are appointed at the larger schools. One would be concerned with general administration, while the other would oversee the general social welfare of the pupils.