EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 8

EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

SALARIES ACCORDING TO EFFICIENCY. The reforms most urgently desired by the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute are set out in a communication from the president (Mr. A. Erskifce) and secretary (Mr. H. A. Parkinson), published m the current issue of tho "Journal of Education." The writers state:—

"On the mtroduetioii of the Sdtteatwn Amendment Bill of last year, tho members of tho -N.Z.E.I. suspended for tho time being nil further agitation on tlie salary and other questions that were then, and are still, demanding attention. As the time draws nearer for taking up these matters ngain, we have thought it advisable that ' *a should onoe moro place clearly before tho members the chief points "that w© think they should aim at hi the coming discussion. We divide these points into two classss—first, those that mast be dealt with this year if the coming Education Bill is to give satisfaction; seecud, those which, if not conceded this year, will form the objective of contin* uo.d efforts on tho part of tho institute until they were attained.

"Iu the first class were place—(a) Payment of salaries on a system of grading based on efficiency and eervko. (b) Tho removal of all power of appo'intment from the hands of school committees. (Wo submit that a system that continues to subject teachers to loss of salary through lio default of their own, and to tho intolerable degradation of the canvassing evil, and that leads to the making of some 1400 now appointments per year, stands selfcondemncd.) (c) A substantial increase in salaries, (c!) The inauguration, of a Council of Education.

"Wo recommend that members of the N.Z.E.I. should refuso to accept as satisfactory any Bill that does not meet all these demands, and at, the same time that they should dockro that in addition to these points they will continue to strive for tho attainment of*--(a) The co-ordination of all sections of educational work under the central authority—a council that shall hav* power to administer.as well as dovise. ,-(b) Tho recognition of the true place of education as an important part of the civic and social life of tho community. Nest to tho home, the school is the most important factor in the- moulding of the character of the people, and this' fact ought to bo recognised in tho designing of educational machinery. "During each of the last two sessions of Parliament tho most important pdu- ■ cational questions were, for good and. sufficient reasons, postponed. We are assured that they will be taken in hand this year, and we would strongly imjsress upon members of tho N.Z.E.I. that they owe it both to the teaching 6ei'vice and to the country that every effort should be made to secure such reforms in our system as will msko it worthy of tho Pommhm and of the times*in -which wo live."