A NEW SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 9, 11 July 1922, Page 5

A NEW SCHEME

TEACHERS' SALARIES AND

GRADING

TO OBVIATE FREQUENT!

TRANSFERS

HEADMASTERS AND COMMITTEE

MEN TO CONFER,

A new scheme for the grading and salaries of teachers was outlined by Mr. E. S. Hylton, assistant-secretary of the Wellington Education Board, at a meeting of members' of the.Wellington School Committees' Association and the Headmaster's' Association last evening. General approval of the scheme was expressed by those present.

I. Mr. W. H. L. Foster, of the Headmasters' Association, said that the question as to the frequency of transfer of teachers was brought up at a conference between the Headmasters' Association and the School Committees' Association. What they were mainly concerned with was the efficiency of the schools, and they were not going to get efficiency until they had a competent staff. They would not get a competent staff until teachers received adequate remuneration for their services. A teacher was not ".efficient until he had been in a school for twelve months at least. To get into a new grade he had to go to another school, and that was the cause of the frequency of transfer. There were far more of grade I. positions 'than grade 11., and so on, the consequence being that there were few positions at the tbp of the tree. If 4 junior teacher were to receive a £10 rise each year he would be satisfied to ■ stay at a schooL The real root of the frequent transfer trouble was in the' method of payment. , . AN UNSATISFACTORY POSITION. Mr. Hylten said that he had devised a staffs and salaries scheme, which would be simple in operation and likely io obviate to a very great extent the all i too frequent desire for transfer, which existed among many of the teachers. The reason for the present unsatisfactory state of affairs should, almost unreservedly, be attributed to the salary scale, at present in force. It; was practically certain that the majority of teachers would, much prefer to remain for a longer period in one school but for the fact that by so doing they would actually deprive themselves of advances in salaries. The longest time a teacher could stay iii one position without coming to a halt in the matter of salary was six years, and the shortest time ; two years, y . "AN UNSETTLING INFLUENCE':" I As it was generally accepted as a fact that frequent changes had an unsettling influence on young teachers, as well as on the pupils, all new staffing and salary schemes should provide for longer periods of service, without the necessity for transfer in order to gain advancement. At the, present time practically all of the ex-tvaining college students reached the maximum salary' allotted to their respective positions after serving only one year. This was not what it should be, and the result was that during practically the whole of the second year those young teachers were considerably exercised in mind as to whether or not they would j before the second year was completed ,- be successful in securing a trans: far, for practically in this way only could they obtain another increment in salary. In his opinion matters would be still farther improved if the school year were divided into three terms, instead of, four quarters, as at present, and all permanent staffing changes made during the three vacations. THE SALARY SCHEME. The salary scheme.now in force was admitted as Being unduly complex, and probaGly nothing more complicated existed in any country in the world. It was probably no exaggeration to say that ■when the existing salary scale came into force 95 per cent, of the teachers could not calculate correctly the rate of salary they were entitled to receive. Furthermore, in order to illustrate the intricate nature of, the existing legislation dealing with salaries one had only to refer to the departmental explanations} and to the legal opinions which had to be obtained in order to ascertain the meaning of the regulations. Whilst, therefore, there was some excuse for those teachers who -were unable to understand where they stood regarding salary it was surely a reflection on those who were responsible for the existing scheme that something mone easily understandable was not' devised. In the scheme he Was now submitting for j consideration, simplicity, combined with.j safeguards for the interests of scholars j and teachers, had been aimed at.. Iti would be noted that the salary scale sug- { gested was not in any way dependent upon school attendance, and, except for each four-yearly period, during which a, teacher was bound to receive three increments of £10 each, salary increases would be based entirely on efficiency. Mr. Hylton then gave detailed particulars of the proposed salary scales for primary .teachers.' . ' Mr. Hylton also suggested the payment of an isolation allowance of £20 to all those who were engaged in schools situated more than five miles from the'nearest city, town, or country centre, and a domestic allowance of £20 to all married teachers who wore the sole support of the home, plus £10 for each child under1 the age of 15 years. In regard to the staffing- of schools, Mr. Hylton suggested that the average roll be taken as the basis, but that in calculating the average roll no account should be taken of any pupils who had not been present at least 25 per cent, of the number of times the school had been open during any quarter or torm. Turning to the question of cost, Mr. Hylton said he was of opinion that the scale of payments proposed would involve the Government in very little, if any, additional expense. ' j Approval of the scheme waa expressed 'by Mr. Foster, on behalf of the HeadI masters' Association, and several members of the School Committees' Association. . The chairman moved that a sub-cor-n mittes should be set up to go into the question of the scheme. Messrs. M'Kee, Hennesey, and Salmond were appointed to represent the School Committees' Association.