UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 40, 17 February 1911, Page 4

UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

PROPOSED CORRESPONDENCE CLASSES. {"by telegraph — pbkss association.} DUNEDIN, 16th February. At a meeting of the Education Board to-day, Mr. M'Kinley moved : "That, in order to encourage uncertificated teachers to go forward for examination, the board take into consideration the establishment of correspondence classes, and instruct the chief inspector to draw up a suitable scheme, to be presented to the board at next meeting." Mr. M'Kinley said there were 92 uncertificated teachers in Otago district, 63 ladies and 29 gentlemen, and some of them had been in that position sincts 1902. Some of these were uncertificated because they had failed in one subject. It might be that subject was music (in tho instance of one girl it was), and flagrant injustice was done in the serious deduction in their salaries which they had to put up with, amounting to 10 per. cent. About 53 of the 92 teachers had attended examinations^ and about 20 iiad attended classes got up by teachers of Dunedin to oquip students for examination. Salaries ranged from £30 to £190, and serious financial difficulty faced the _ attempt to equip themselves by examination. They could not pay the fees required for correspondence classes out of £100. Supposing a teacher to be taking the D examination, there were charges issued for five compulsory subjects, and three optional subjects, £8 18s 6d and £5 ss, a total of £14— fourteen pounds for correspondence class, and then an examination fee of £1. j It was too heavy for a poorly-paid I teacher. The department might assist { these teachers from certain funds. It j deducted 10 per cent, from a licensed | teacher, and he had worked it out | that the total difference between the j salaries teachers were getting and the , salaries they would have been paid ! had they been certificated on entering the service, amounted to £750 in twelve months. He did not say the whole of , that was actual saving to the depart- ' ment, but 60 per cent, of these teachers might be brought to Dunedin twice a year and trained by volunteer teach- j ers in Dunedin. The department miijht allow them to take the D examination in two sections. He thought if they remitted half the fees it would be well, and at the same time a threat should i be held out that if uncertificated teach- 1 ers failed to qualify in two years, their positions would be vacant. Mr. G. C. Israel seconded the motion. Mr. Tait (Director of Education in Victoria) showed that they were trying the scheme there. l The Hon. T. Fergus expressed himself as being in hearty sympathy with ' the motion. A great deal too much had been made of the inefficiency of the unoertificated teachers. Ho, quoted from' a memorandum by Mr. Goven, ex-Chief • Inspector, to show that nearly all uncertificated teachers were doing good work. The motion was carried unanimously. _____________