WHAT IS WRONG ?

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1931, Page 15

WHAT IS WRONG ?

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt is a pity that the Prime Minister should have made such statements as he is credited with in his reply to Mr. Nash's question about: unemployed teachers. He has been furnished by his colleague, the Minister of Education, or by- the responsible officers^ of the Education Department with the information that "nearly all the unemployed teachers are below average grading." This is most unfair to the large number of young teachers who are denied the work they were trained for at the country's expense, and who are in many cases dependent on already ovejbiirdened parents. Are they below average grading? Most of them ure recently out of the, training college 1:, and have'had no time or opportunity to accumulate the "average giadmg maiKs" which accrue to very mdifTet Iput toaohers with effluxion of time. It is ri pity that such <i slur should be cast on these \oung people whose only fault is th.it thcie is no woik for them.

The facts are that numbers of organising and ielieving teufhers have been appointed to the peim.inent positions advei tl"-ed and, uheiever possible, positions ha-ve been left unfilled If the Pnme "Minister would trouble to look at the Education Gazette of Ist October he would ore that theie are no positions advertised by the Weilinftton Education Board This is most unusual It is certainly right that incompetent or under-standard teachers should be kept out of the service. Does that mean that those' who have recently, left the training colleges should not be an en a chance' All inspectors of schools know, and. head masters of big schools also knou, that there <ne considerable numbeis of incompetent, undtr-slandaid teacheib holding peimanent positions. If the intoiests of the childien and fair dealing to the ta:wpa>er 'who pays their salaries aio to be considered steps' should cerlainlv bo taken to cull the sen ice and pay the' salaties to people who can earn them. Unfortunately everybody is more concerned about employment. of inarvied Women teachers, aw such* uliimpbriant issues than about real abuses in the service. ■ ..■ ,

The country has been training more teachers than are wanted even in. normal times, and quite rightly so. The education of our children should not be jeopardised by the retention of misfits in the service. It is most difficult to say in the first year or two of .training which "trainees" will make good teachers; and provision Bhould certainly be made for the removal without undue hardship of teachers, even in permanent positions, .who have failed to make good. Effective action along these lines cannot be expected.save from a department with courage, vision, and modern spirit. >, Mr.- Dowiiie-Stewart said: "We need a dictator in finance/ We\;certainly need one in education. It is almost impossible to spend too milch on education if it is wisely spent. Our present rigid, castiron, disjointed system "is. dear at any money, and it cannot be improved without drastic action from without.--I am, etc., ,

EDUCATIONALIST.