More women getting top school jobs

Press, 27 September 1986, Page 24

More women getting top school jobs

PA Wellington Latest Education Department figures show a slow but steady increase in the number of women in senior positions in schools, teachers’ colleges and technical institutes.

A report on the position of women in education, shows that at March 31 last year there were 325 women heading primary schools, eight more than at the same time in 1984, or 14 per cent of the total.

The number of women secondary principals was up 50, two more than the previous year, or 16 per cent of all principals. But women continued to be under-represented in top jobs in schools considering their numbers in the teaching profession, the report found. In primary schools women made up 71 per cent of teachers and 49 per cent of second-

ary teachers were women. The report showed also that most part-time and relieving ' positions in schools were held by women.

The J areas where women were appointed to senior positions tended to be girls’ welfare, home economics, English, and art rather than science, mathematics, physical education, or computing. “Although a gradual over-all improvement in the balance of men and women in senior positions is continuing, there is still a great deal of progress to be made at the higher levels of the system,” the report said.

Co-educational secondary schools are this term taking part in a review of the position of women teachers, aimed at getting more into top jobs.