Need for more teachers seen

Press, 28 August 1984, Page 5

Need for more teachers seen

More primary teachers need to be trained if lower student-teacher ratios are to be implemented, said the general manager of the Canterbry Education Board, Mr David Wilson. Mr Wilson said that if last year’s quota of 76 trainees was not increased, it would cause problems for the Government’s plan for a one-to--20 staffing ratio. “There would not be enough teachers to cover the needs of smaller classes,” said Mr Wilson. Part-time teachers would have to start teaching fulltime, which would lead to shortages in that area, he said. The board has received more than 400 applications for primary teaching, an increase of more than 100 over last year. Mr Wilson said that if the

quota remained the same as last year, the board would be selecting one in every six or seven applicants. “That would probably be about the worst we have ever had,” he said. Mr Wilson said he believed that there were more applications this year because young people were finding it difficult to get into other occupations. The board also received an increased number of applications for early childhood training. This year 95 people applied, compared with 86 last year. Mr Wilson said that he expected this year’s quota for the course to be about the same as last year’s intake of 12. Included in this year’s figures were 41 applications for both primary and early childhood training courses.