TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3379, 20 June 1927, Page 8

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

The Education Department has devised a scheme to replace that in operation at present for the trainingof teac hers, tire underlying purpose being to effect economy. To understand the position and the aim it is necessary to premise that at present every trainee at the four Training Colleges is given an allowance to cover the cost of living. In return, a bond with a weighty penalty, must be entered into on behalf of the trainee that he or site will within a stated period teach for tinec years. In a great many cases there has been a failure to lull'd that obligation. and the terms of the bund have in very lew instances been complied by payment of the penalty. Some bondsmen have paid up when called upon, but. in the majority of eases, the Department for various reasons Inis refrained from enforcing payment. The result has been a dead loss to the State of the cost of training, and if. is part of that loss that is .sought to b checked.

What is now proposed is to abolish, the payments to trainees, leaving them, or their parents, to provide for? their own maintenance. lint in order to meet, the case of those who cannot do this it is proposed to grant loans within a fixed limit, those loans being payable by instalments to be deducted From future salaries. 'Then, to enable the borrowers to repay the- loans the proposed scheme provides that the teacher shall start at a fixed salary regardless of position. The actual figures cannot lie given as matters have not been finally settled. and the amounts -suggested have been only made known to Education Boards in confidence. The opinions of all the Boards upon the scheme were sought. The matter eaiuo before the Otago Board at its last meeting, when a committee was set up to examine it and report. The Board met last night to receive the report, all the members being present. What the Committee submitted was a doped unanimously, and was as follows:

“in the absence of information upon the following material points, the .Hoard cannot endorse the scheme;- —(i) r lhe less at present incurred through non-fulfilment and non-cuforeeinont of bonds; (2) Llie possible saving under the proposed scheme; (3) the method of securing repayment of loans.

“The Board is of opinion that the scheme would involve certain risks, such as—(l) The placing of obstacles in the way of getting the hast hoys amt girls to enter ihe profession; (2) the differentiat : on of salary as between those who receive Joans and those who do not may load to difficulty; (3) the difficulty ol providing immediate employment for students on leaving the college; any agreement entered into for repayment should necessarily entail on the Department an obligation of providing the means by employment of re-paying. “The scheme introduces class distinction as between those who take the loans and those who do not.

“The scheme should not apply to those probationers who have already entered the service under the existing eoncliti-ons. and the Board would emphatically view the inclusion of these as a distinct breach of contract.”