REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 89, 8 January 1908, Page 5

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE.

.'-"ijff ■ . • • • .. . of- the . executiyo : of 'tho insti-' ttyte'jfprjithe ypar.'lOO" : wiis-presented.' '.-The report''stated : that 'im'lSOG tlie •.membership; of/ the^instjtuto'•■was -ITiO;; 'for- the,year;just cricloflj'tiho'" at .1939. ' N'o rohad had'to, 1)0" made. duHng the year! tp_4h'6 •Teachers'-'G6urt';of :Appea|. : -.'.i'-Tlio' flow ar'&Tigifthcnt' infregard'.to-tho publicu'jion 'of was working satisfactorily. During 5 last session of Parliament, the Public 6erVic6 ; Superannuation-- Act- had rccciv'cd, the attention of the':Oxecutiye'. - A- clauso;; ! was drafted,by theiWellington mcmbors.'of. tho BXtvontive, whiih - subsequently, with somo alight alterations, became incorporated- as clause 41 in the ■Public Service tion Bill as it passed tho Jxiwer House. On November 22 tho Upper House,' on tho motion of tho Attorney-General, throw out tho clause relating to teachers. The Wellington members of tlic executive -interviewed tho -Minister for Education, who explained .that after tho Hill passed the Lower House it was found that several machinery . telauses . would bo necessary to validate the ,inclusion of-teachers iii the Public Service Bjll, and that the rush of closing tho session prevented ,the«o being drafted- In explaining to tho Lower House tho alterations, . mado by ' the ' Legislative Comiuil. Uiia Primo Minister promised- to havo the claims of teachers investigated during tho recess, with a view to . legislation next session. The Minister ..for Education accorded. tho Wellington-members of the exe-

cutivo an; interview, on Noyeriibor 2, i-when tho resolutions of tho last annual ■ meeting woro discussod.-. -Tho- first ■ resolution submitted dealt with, tho staffing of schools ui> der grado 11. The' Minister said that this resolution'had his - fullest sympathy, and something., to assist teachers in tho smaller schools-would most likely, bo done next session. Dealing collcctively with '. resolutions affecting tho payment 1 and appointment; of toachers,; tho Minister, warned, teachers, not to expect any substantial increase in .salaries. A great , deal in .this direction had, he said, been- dono during tho past; six years. The vote for salaries might bo increased next year bv £5000 or £6000, but . that, amount would be, absorbed in improving tho positions of teachers in'the smallor schools;' As regards a schema of colonial promotion and appointment,' tho Minister, • said. that no .scheme would-be feasible , that meant-an expenditure of much more moneys ,Tho funds to the credit' of the institute:'amount to £117:19s. lid.'., ■ ' ,V ; ■' Tho report' ',vas considered in -committee,- 1 and adopted. .; ;l /' •'. AND PROMOTIONS.' ' ; '' .REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.;, . ■ ' Opinions, havo beenrmany' arid .varied as .to the merits of. tho different schomes suggested •for a .satisfactory basis of- classification', 7a'ppoiritment" and promotion •of 'teachers, and during, the past year,thq' whole .question ha-s. beeii fully. Uiscusscd by. .tho..;branch .institutes., .Tho. recommendations ' of tho .wholo .'were forwarded to the Promotion Committee •set up by the' Now. Zealand/Educational •Institute, at: Inyercargill in.,. 1906, and the.r.epqrt,;,which ,wns- presented to . delegates >at the recent .conference.' may'be' rogarded,' as' the crystallised opinions .of tho teachers 1 of tho Dominion. . v COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONSi ■, The committee; -iri;. it's ; report, after outlining and briefly,.criticising various schemes which: had' been-placed befo'ro it, expressed , its; conviction that 'in 'any,'sound scheme",'of promotion; ofticicncy"'mUst'. 'be ..thoifrrst cbnsWeration'in: tho appoiiitnient'of any. tcacheir, and that literary or other - qualifications, a$ well as length of. servico, must. bo .subordinated to this,, in tlib 'Emirig''of.''teachcri"foT promotion ; (c); that etfcicncy could bejganged .only by. experts;' .'(d)/that;; appointments' should bo imado on; merit'; (e) that' provision' should, be''.made" for a 'few well-defintxi grades of positions • (f) 1 ' that, 'other' things being equal, ; sbniorityof servico- : should ; bo tto' de--tcrmining,factor,(g):; thatcach teacher's ■pros'poct of. p'rpinotion'..should,,bo shown as definitely as' possibly oii;: a promotion list which should be. revised at periods' riot"greater than' (li) ".that •tHrfeVihould 'bo - a' giiaraptce against 1 reduction' oi; salary except on"proof of,loss of- that' thore should,'b'o miri|murri.and 'maximum'■ .salaries for each-.gfado;; aud' (jj' that 1 iistmany-teaclij-ers, ;rio' mattbr- .hdw.' f^ci^'l»rifd'-;hive- 'no opportunity.' o.t holdjng^th.o.ih'ighcst: positions, salaries; should.'' bo' ; ; r so*'"adjusted ;.-that r 'th'e majority,, :: bo jlibentllylpaid.''.-. •• •r' ,'

In> accordarico '.with' the'above : ! principidsi tho coniinittLMj.recomincnded .that \thcMinister';for "Edtfoatib'tt -b'o, : asked!, to" introduce'.'••a Bill providing ' that -for-* thorpurpose'-' pf' the promotion -of. teachers ;the ,'vari6ps-,hdu6taiori groupe3- : as follows . Auckland (424:-school's) ;; (2)'; Wanganuij" Taran'aKi, and ; Bay • (364 ;sch'oqlb) f '(3)'"!W«llii)g- --- (4), North .'arid;. South-' Canterb,ury,j;':'WestTand-,' and Grey (341"schobls)'; "(5) Otago : and South- ' land (391; schools): i ;"' . . CLASSIFICATION OF POSITIONS , :• Tho.committeo'rccpmmcndeil;''tho appointment! of promotion/..districts,', and-- ;boarfls ~to .consist bf -tho' in'spcctdrt of,tlio' promotion districts, -.together : with 'one - teachcr - electcd! . by .'the .district .instit'tttqs/.aod/ono, represjbntative; of tho'-'boards of:' education withirf';th()'.tlistrici, th<o ; 'b'oards • of -classifiers ' to 'anOTallyVifi. : the .month: of /May.:consider, 'the;.applications < of all" tbicbers desinous; of'being placed'; on ; the prtimDtidn?>lists/\andvto gradb!the; applicants in 1 , tho mariner,-^prescribed;-.-.'Th'ci.\Vimc3 of classifier's, should,. iiqt'/plaoo'; on'tho'..'list-'the riamo.' ofi aiiy applicant.'who ;: iiV:its';6pihion',, ' had' not. merited •' promotion:' - ,; It. was\ reco'M-•i^nd«4-:t^af,any^tWichcf-.flis^l^ed'-bY:'ft»!' son' of the'''omission ■ pf' 1 'lih promotion-, list , or- its 1 on thatv list should'havo : .th'o; right.-."to-, appeal' Education Board by which ho If tho.lMuc'ation ,Bo«rd'deemed' it'.ntce.«'u;y, it, might, order a further' inspection of' tiio teacher's work with ,'ii vibw to;;his 're-c]a<;ifi-cation'. ' Tho IMiication Board' misjht, for any sufficient reason,' such as noglect f>f -duty or- misdemeanour,., remoyo from the-piojiio-tion liSt' tho'namo of ariy : teach'or 4h(- : ploy. previously classified as ; de«erfing'*prcr motion str-h extreme!, action without spfecifically/;stati'.ig.tb tho.'teacher; the cause for so, rciWjd shnu'd lia'vo: th'a right: of' appVl' tp thb'lvliritbtJr for Education, yrh'p might- .order,' an; enquiry and thereafter ,'cbnfinn .'or. annur the -'Board's decision. " V • .'. ' ,'* v ' V '■• It 'was : fccommendod t that'" 'positions '- b'b classified 'into; .'threo .'-classes;'. divided-' jespebtirely into .six, 1 three'. djviiionS,'. carrying.'salaries' ai 'follows j. ] Class, I.: Applicants-. _s(>cki'ng. ./promotion qr- transfer to charge of -A* school of division ••1,'£330 or■;more';■■ 2,- £290"'t0 £340;''3,- £225 to £275;'4, £165 to'£2ls; ,5;"£110 to; £160'; o„below. £ii 0.... v ;- . GlasslT-.-: : ;Applicants; • .seeking , promotion or' transfer, to assista'ntshins in '.' division 'I, £175 or-'moro2, '£115 ; :to:£170.;: 3/ £86' to £110.,• W Class: III.: Applicants: seeking charge ;of .infaiit";cla'ss©s in division 1," £lo0' : or' more; 2', £110 to £145 ;3, £8o : to';£ios.' , -. ~-.'.GRADING Oi; TEACHERS.; V In tho grading of. teachers,' tho'. board of classifiers,- should award; majks' .on tllevfollowing basis -efficiency and personality, »'O. 'per. cent.' to : ,60, ' per ; ''oent.;.-.second, educational literary'lind-,'other-wise, 0--]H)r cent;- ;to ; ' 20 ■ perji-'-.-'eoriti;;^-third, length u?f' seryice, pay, .1 per; p.pnt-;' fpr.Voach year - of.', service, 0 pei;;' cpht; ''tb :^ .cent. - Note.—P6ssibf6-,!to^'f;'ma'rWi , 'lM":'-."''' ' • -On,'' the . eistimates.- ,'sb;. .names in /each .diyis.ipn ;list".should/bc/'arrange'd ,"in order' of; : ment-''as;-'shown -by, thp;,total awaidod, to - eachV' ' The; comniittce suggestel tha.t : lnarks.fbr-' literary'; attiimrnejits;' ot«;/,'.bo allotted." somewhat as follpwHEpr, ,D..- ijertificatb (i'rr'cspeqiiV'o -of' "fifeii , rb");'.o,raafks ;''C, 9;-B, 12 ; "A,\l4l'arnl, for; special- c'brtific.itbs for . advanced: worjc -in drawing, - .music,. drill, kindergarten- ; ,Woi;k. pliysiolpgy,;., hptqny, agriculture, .woodwork, and otmy. subjects, ,6 marks"; hut hot' more' than two','marks 'for any bno subject. ■■ ■ ■" • • •'When : two -or ; : mo're,. applicants • had -the same''number, in order of, seniority... FILLING ; OP-VACANCIES ; - In, regard to-the, method-of filling, racqi)cie's, "tlio committee* a' yncancy''occurred ,:in; any.'division; and'.'tlio applicant -whose--, name -st'opd- : first:-on-tiio corrcsprinding ,di,visioii, of.:,tli,e:prptnbtipn ili'st had at' -least four. marks.;(of : tho, 100 possible) more .tliari .any' other ', applicant -in 'that •division; ,tho~BdueAtipn 'Board '• 'jhoujdV.ippoint> him to-tho.position..-' Wllpn- such'applicant' did' 'not--have ' at ; 'least'f6ur. ; marks inoro 'than i.a),,onlyiono other.'.applicant, or ' (li)''eaeii of: two or' ,'mbr'o 'oth'er applicants, tho -Board «Should ■ tako'.'fi'pm-.tho' ; Jisti the> names : of. (a)..tho-first two-.in, order, (t>), tho .first:three ;,in .onler, -and'' fprTraru those'■ t'o ! tho''-'District 'Cdmmittcjo. Aftor - tho committco-.bad- reconimcn'ded 'oho of-these, applicant's, tho Board shoijld'.'inako the appointment,- but should not--necessarily appoint tho' teacher rccpmmended by . thp committco.' As '-teachers -rcccived Jpromotion y their names' should' bo struck off tho pro-motion-list for that year.

In conclusion, the committoo affirmed that tho rate of payment should depend .on' tho position determined by the working roll number, and not on average attendance; that .tho salaries should, advance from tho minimum .to. tho maximum by annual increments, and that tho .maximum for each division (except No. 1) be £5 below tho minimum for t'lo division next above; 1 that provision, bo mado for the transfer of teachers whoso schools had fallen below or increased beyond the division for which salaries were being paid; and that'no teacher then employed should suffer, reduction ! of salary as.'the result of the introduction of the new system.