SALARY SCALES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 7

SALARY SCALES

SCHOOL TEACHERS

SYSTEM CONDEMNED Adtion to alter a system that permitted frequent changes of school staff was urged by Mr. H. E. Combs (Government, Wellington Suburbs), Speak- " ing en the Education Department Esti- ... mates in the House of Representatives yesterday. _ Mr. Combs said it seemed that the salary scales of teachers should be -.-revolutionised, for at present teachers --had to move to another school to get . -promotion. He had been associated with the committee of a school with a 7 staff of seven which had had eight -, changes in a year. It did not help the teacher or the child to have frequent - changes. He tfelt.that a teacher who ~ began the school year should have a , reasonable prospect of seeing the ■ children through that year. Any ; emigration of teachers, accordingly, ' should take place during the holiday ' period. Under the present system the : salary scales were not sufficiently attractive to retain teachers who should • be retained. "I agree that the present scheme of .-• salary scales requires too frequent • emigration of teachers," said the Minister of Education (Mr. Mason). He said that' a teacher was now required ,to complete two years' service before applying for another position, but the defect mentioned by -Mr. Combs was inherent in the present scales and needed to be remedied, and he hoped that attention could be given to that problem at an early date. INQUIRY BY COMMITTEE. As far-as secondary teachers were concerned a committee was being set up - to deal with the whole problem of the recruiting, appointment, and conditions of teachers. The original idea had / !been that the committee should deal - iwith the problems of secondary teachers, but it was found as a matter . of practical convenience that it would Ibe expedient for the same committee >to deal with the primary teachers' positions. . "' • , The belief that secondary school [teachers had received, less than justice in regard to theirI'claims for a revised ■scale of salaries was expressed by Mr. M. H. Oram (National, Manawatu). fHe said it was quite true that teaclv ers were prevented to some extent by ' stabilisation from obtaining what they desired, but the salary scale now in force, based on the 1939 scale, con-, tamed many anomalies. - Mr. Oram said that when the teachers received their, first salary cheque they would feel ah increasing sense of injustice. Secondary school teachers occupied a most important in the life of the nation, particularly the ' heads, upon whom, he felt, the schools depended almost entirely for the results obtained. If the teachers were to receive justice and were to feel that they were not being hardly dealt with he Would appeal to the Minister, as soon as it could-possibly, be done, to revise the conditions and pay, so that the teachers' . would know what to expect as soon as stabilisation allowed any amendment. The scales and conditions of all teachers, both primary and secondary, should be such as'to attract the very best men. and women to the teaching profession and to compare with other branches of the Public Service. /He wanted'to pay a special tribute "to the teachers, of New Zealand^jgjfid the Leader of the Opposition!/''' .Tlbere .was about £5,000,000 myGltfgS iff '"the S'/vote, r btti°thd-.e uftad not -ibeen one' quibble'ixnpiit.-the^e'xpendi-«ture and. no vcsj£y x&& better spent. •A highez.&QJjJ^ matenal, and spiritual 'standa^jrsf file iism"rest in the hands -afi£ wWsleachers. 'They were -doing a 9 .^9i^ificeri£ IftE_tional service, and the >vGoyeEmn^nt .had to face _ up to the ra^alem of making their salaries com'jnellsurate with the.service and comparable with!' other professions. Many of the problems associated .with teaching were aggravated by transport difficulties', yet in the main the teachers.carried on without complaint—their first consideration was the welfare of the, children they taught. . Mr. Holland also referred to the Constant. changing of teachers, and asked _- whether the, Minister',. cp.uld; persuade < the Government to add" teaching to, the • -essential occupations to which men ' irom the Forces might be released. -