TEACHING SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 26, 30 July 1938, Page 11

TEACHING SERVICE

SALARY ADJUSTMENTS

COST OF £57,000

IMPORTANT CHANGES

Important adjustments in the scale of remuneration of - teachers were announced today by the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser), who expressed the opinion that the adjustments would go a long way towards the stabilisation of school staffs and an improvement in the staffing of country schools. The new scheme is to come into operation on October 1 next, but the whole of thei increases are not, however, to be granted immediately. The total additional cost in the current financial; year will be £57,000.

"One of the important questions which the Government has had under consideration in connection with the reorganisation of the education system is an adjustment in the method of assessing the remuneration of primary school teachers in order to secure greater stability in school staffs," said the Minister.

"It has been a constant source <of complaint from school committees and parents that too many and too frequent changes occur in the personnel of the teaching staffs, and these complaints are amply justified. It has long been apparent that a change in the basis of the payment of teachers is essential, to secure the maximum of efficiency by making it unnecessary for them to transfer frequently in order to obtain comparatively small increases in salary. ; "COUNTRY" POSITIONS. "Another important aspect of the question, necessitating the adjustment of salaries, is the need to make better provision for the staffing of country schools by means of salaries which will induce teachers to seek and to retain country positions," the Minister continued. "Approximately ,5^ per cent, of the positions in the primary schools teaching service may fee regarded as 'country.' Hitherto the salaries for many of these positions have been, in general, on a par with those for many town positions. The result is that the better qualified teachers have, on the whole, sought and secured town positions. Here again, it has, been obvious that unless some change is made in the basis for determining salaries, the country schools will remain at a disadvantage in securing the services of the more efficient and more experienced teachers. "In December, 1936, a committee of nine was set up to submit proposals for a new salary and staffing scheme for primary schools. The Education Department, the New Zealand Educational Institute, and the Education Boards' Association were represented on the committee. The committee's report forms the basis of the adjustments which are now to be made. "The new scale provides for a greater range of increments and also for a reduction in the number of grades of salaries. Briefly, the new scale represents an adjustment on two main principles:—; ; "(a) The payment of the teacher on a 'basic scale according to years of service; ■ ;..■; ;■ "• :■ •:. , , / ~. ■ ■ .. (b) The payment of a 'position' salary evaluated according to the position i occupied. Thus, 'position' salary would be paid, in addition to the rate under the 'basic scale,' to head and sole teachers, to infant mistresses, to senior men and women assistants, to assistants in secondary departments of district high schools, and to assistants in other special positions warranting some additional payment. FEATURES OF NEW SCHEME. "Some of the features of the new scheme are: The, 'basic scale,' which will commence at £190 per annum and end at £370 per annum, for head and sole teachers and for men assistants; and will commence at £170 per annum and end at £330 per annum for women assistants. (In certain of the junior positions there is a.bar at £290 for head and sole teachers and men assistants, and at £250 for women assistants); the additional 'position' salaries for head and sole teachers, which will range from £50 per annum in the lowest grade to £230 per annum in the highest grade; the additional 'position' salaries for assistant teachers, which will range, in general, from £20 to £60 per annum, and be paid according to the position occupied and the grade of the school. "Married allowance at the rate of £50 per annum, hitherto paid only to married men assistants, will be paid to married head ar/. sole men-teachers. "House allowance, hitherto paid to head and sole teachers where a residence has not been provided, will be discontinued and there will be readjustments in respect of the occupancy of school residences. "It has been decided that the new scheme shall come into operation on October 1 next, but the whole of the increases r are not, however, to be granted immediately. The total additional cost in the current financial year 1938-39 will be £57,000. "Native school teachers, , staffs of training colleges, and the primary department of the Correspondence School are included in the scheme; THE MAIN OBJECTS. "I feel that the adjustment of the salary scale will go a long way towards securing the main objects in view, namely, the stabilisation of school staffs' and an improvement in the staffing of country schools," said Mr. Fraser. "It is regretted, however, that complete stabilisation is not obtainable in consequence of the loss to the service of about 500 teachers every year through retirements, marriages,and deaths. ; "It will be generally agreed that it is essential that the conditions and remuneration of the teaching profession should be such as will attract to the service the men and women who are the best equipped and most suitable for the important work of teaching the children of the Dominion. The Government's efforts in this direction, embodied in the salary section of the new scheme, will be generally appreciated and approved, particularly by parents. ,

"New staffing proposals, with the object of reducing the size of classes, are under consideration, but cannot be brought into operation until a sufficient number of teachers are available. With this object in view, the numbers of students in the training colleges have been greatly increased during the past two years."