INSTABILITY OF SCHOOL STAFFS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 263, 2 August 1929, Page 5

INSTABILITY OF SCHOOL STAFFS

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE AND MINISTER By direction of the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute, the secretary of the institute has forwarded to the Minister of Education (Hon. 11. Atmore) the following comments ou his reply to the deputation that waited upon him recently on the subject of the instability of school staffs: — “The reply attributed to you in ‘The Dominion’ report of the proceedings indicates that you considered that most of the changes were unavoidable, and were due to such factors as the death, retirement and marriage of teachers, and to tho rise and fall of the roll numbers of schools. The executive admits thatthese factors are responsible for a certain proportion of staff changes, and also for some’consequential changes, and that changes arising from these causes are outside the control of the Department. It desires to point out, however, that these factors are not by any means the most prolific iu the production of staff changes. The first and most important cause of changes is the fact that it is the position that is paid and not the teacher,, and the position is based on average attendance. ■ Thence it arises that teachers have to be always on the search for uew positions, and removals are forced ou them by the very nature of the system. Moreover, this feature of the system is aggravated by the excessive number of grades Of positions (nine for sole and head teachers, three for male and five for female assistants), and as . teachers are obliged to seek for new positions this feature multiplies both the original and consequential staff changes. “Though these changes are the natural outcome of the existing system, it cannot be said : that -they are unavoidable. It is quite possible to put it on a better basis, and so arrange it that changes may be reduced to a minimum. The Depdrtraent has power to alter the’system by regulation, and has frequently introduced modifications. ;One of the latest of these has added very materially, to the number of changes; that is to say, the. introduction of probationary, and substituted assistants. “Under the provision of Section 15 of the Education Amendment Act, 1919, the Gpvernor-GericraJ in Council has full ' power to make regulations dealing with this subject, so that it cannot be said that the causes of at least-a large major-ity-of staff changes are unavoidable. They would be avoided if teachers were paid instead of the positions, and if the pay-,-ment were based on effieiencjSinstead of average attendance..

“The executive notes with satisfaction that you regard the present conditions ns a great evil. It is indeed a great evil, and it ought to be removed.”