PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 118, 20 May 1907, Page 2

PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.

THEIR APPOINTMENT AND ! PROMOTION. DISCUSSION BY THE TEACHERS' INSTITUTE. For some timo past the question of a definite and systematic scheme- of promotion has been agitating tho minds of public school teachers in this colony. Tho general dissatisfaction with which ; the Working of the present system is viewed found expression at a special j meeting of the Wellington District In- j I stitute of Teachers on Friday last, when i members wero asked to consider the report of tho Promotion Committee, which was submitted to tho annual conference of institute delegates last January, and referred back to the district institutes for discussion. The Promotion Committee was appointed in 1906 to : — 1. Collect infopmation regarding schemes of promotion. 2. Consider suggested schemes, and (3) report generally upon tho whole question. The conference of that year also resolved: — "That no scheme of appointment or promotion of teachers can commend itself to the teachers of the colony that permits local or personal influonco to override, in the making of appointments, tho claims of (1) efficiency, (2) length of service, and (3| literary or other special 'attainments, —a motion which gives a direct indication as to the main source of discontent. Tho Promotion Committee has embodied the result of its labours in two suggested schemes, wherein a certain method of grading, based on a mathematical approximation of tho various aspects of a', teacher's work, is laid down. Scheme 1 provides for the division of the colony into six educational districts, each administered) flor the purposes of appointment, transfer, or promotion, by a board of classifiers, consisting of tho inspectors of the district. The operations of" this scheme would not, it is claimad, interfere with or modify tho status of local controlling bodio3. Tho extract quoted herewith shows the method of appointment : — "Whon a vacancy occurs tho Education Board shall, in tho manner ! hereinafter prescribed, select from tho promotion list corresponding to the vacant position a name, or names, to be forwarded to the District School Committee for their final selection of a teacher. Provided always that tho ' names in a superior group must' be exhausted ■ before any name be selected from an inferior group.; also that in general at least 2 (two) names shall ho selected, but shouk 3 only ono namo | remain in a superior, group that name must be submitted alone. As • applicants receive promotion their names shall be struck off *ho list. A teacher whose name has been placed on the promotion list may nt any time withdraw* his candidature for any particular vacancy.' j Scheme 11. involves, from its colo- j nial character, tho centralisation of the inspectorate. Tho method of grading is practically the sam» as In Scheme I ; I and it is recommended that salaries shall bo computed, not upon average | attendance, but upon the class of posi- j tion. the appointee to begin nt the minimum salary, attaining the maximum by annual increment. Under a colonial system of promotion, "it would bo necessary," says the committed : — I. For the colony to be divided into, say, four education districts, each under a chief inspector, who would be responsible for supply- , ing the board of classifiers with full information as to (1) tho efficiency and personality ; (2) the educational attainments" V.littrary and otherwise); and (3) tho length of service of each applicant (from his district) ior promotion. 11. or a board of classifiers to be-set-up, to consist of—^ (a) Tho , Inspector-General ; (b) 'An inspector elected by the inspectors of the colony; and (c) A teacher in the highest class, elected by tho- Educational Institute. Introducing the subject, at Friday's meeting, tho president (Mr. A. Erskine) remarked -that as tho question had not beon previously before the Wellington District Institute, it migbt bo no -<veu to invito a general discussion upon tho whole aspect of appointments and promotion betoro definitely committing themselves to an expression of opinion regarding the I merits of any particular scheme. He would move: — ''That thia institute is of i opinion that the present method of au- ' pointment and promotion of teachers is eminently unsatisfactory." This was seconded, and' evoked an interesting discussion, which elicited tho j follow mg points of dieeatisfxetion : — (1) That certain Education Boards ore j practically clore corporations, it being an exceedingly difficult, and frequently impossible," matteT for a- deserving toaeher irom another district, or "outsider," to enter their servic€s ; and so obtain that promotion which his own district, from its smaller and more scattered nature, was unable to offer. (2) That tho present system of payment on average -uttendanco in responsible for a feeling of unrest emong teaohons in whoso districts, from the character of the local industry, the population fluctuates, to tho corresponding fluctuation of their salaries. (3) That tho wider powers of selection conferred upon School Committees by rocent legislation paves the way for the exercise of local influence in the obtaining of appointments. Mr. Erskine'a motion wae carried unanimously. ' Mr. Foster then moved : — "That tho Wellington District Institute does not/ approve of the establishment of a colonial system of promotion, inasmuch as such a system can only be set up by tho establishment of a central board of control for tho colony, end tho disestablishment of those- local controlling educational bodies which are of vital importance to a national system of education." Mr. George Macmorran seconded. The mover contended that both schemes lubmitted by tho Promotion Committee involved the principle of centralisation, to which ho vim very strongly opposed. He instanced' the Australian classification scheme as an example of centralisation, and its clogging effect upon the progress of good men. Another speaker, referring to the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department system aa being somewhat similar in de6ign to tho proposed teachers' scheme, humorously referred to tho man who sat up late every nlgbij studying tho classification list and figuring out the probable longevity of each man ahead of him. Mr. yaughley, in defence of scheme 1, submitted that there could be no question of centralisation where the colony was divided up and controlled! by district bodies. It was finally decided, Mr, Foster having withdrawn his motion, that further consideration of the question bo deferred until 7th Juno, when a special meeting will bo convoned.