EDUCATION BILL

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 13

EDUCATION BILL

Views Of Secondary Schools Assistants SEVERAL PROPOSALS APPROVED / Approval of a number of important proposals in the new Education Bill is expressed by the Wellington executive of the New Zealand Secondary. Schools Assistants’ Association. The executive’s views are embodied in the following statement’ by the president, Mr. H. A. Heron, and the secretary, Mr. A. H. Thom: —

“Raising of school leaving age to 15 years: The excellence of this change is so generally realised by the public that intimation of our approval is scarcely necessary, except to point out that it will make available to children a longer period of schooling, which is the natural corollary to a general reduction in the working life of the citizen.

“Representatives of teachers on boards of education: The advantages of this change will be evident when it is considered that this will render possible a closer contact between those actually engaged in the work of educating and the administrative body, a consummation which has been inadequately achieved even where the principal has had ready access to his board. , < “Reduction in the number of governing bodies: This change is welcome and overdue. The result will clearly be an increase in efficiency ana a reduction in expenditure. The grouping of various educational functions under one authority will undoubtedly make for much greater co-operation between schools of all types. “Appointment of education officers: A radical and significant change is the adoption of the English system of local education, officers. This innovation should result in a reduction in the number of inspection visits, which are considered by many to be unnecessary and to militate against the development of a healthy professional spirit. We feel that, in order to promote unity and harmony among the various types of schools, it is essential that the position of education officer should be sufficiently highly paid to attract applicants from a very wide field.

“School councils: One of the disadvantages belonging to the control of secondary schools by boards of governors has been, in the past, the unduly large proportion of nominees on the various boards. The franchise arrangements provided for in the Bill are highly satisfactory, for an elected body represents more closely and retains the interest of all sections of the school community. “Right of appeal against non-appoint-ment: The general public is probably wholly unaware of the unsatisfactory state into which appointments and promotions in secondary schools have fallen. While it is admitted that a too great mobility of staff is not in the best interests of the school, it is equally true that an almost total absence of mobility must be harmful to both school and teacher. The present position in secondary schools is that promotion by appointment to another school occurs rarely, so that it depends upon the fortuitous occurrence of a vacancy in one’s own school. Principals have, in the main, adopted a system of almost universal internal promotion, without paying due regard to the qualifications of external applicants. In fact, the position has in some cases become so acute that advertisements have been framed to suit an applicant already on the staff and exclude outsiders. The right of appeal against non-appointment now granted to teachers should do a great deal to remove this unhappy situation. The provisions for appointments, as outlined in the Bill, are rather vague, but .seem to indicate no improvement on the present system. The majority of secondary teachers is dissatisfied _ with the present method, and a big section is in favour of the establishment of fcentral appointments board."