TEACHERS UNEMPLOYED

Evening Star, Issue 19521, 31 March 1927, Page 5

TEACHERS UNEMPLOYED

NINETY AWAITING ENGAGEMENT Unemployment in the leaching profession is rife, and at the present timo ninety certificated teachers are known to be out of permanent employment iu Otago. This alarming state of affairs was revealed to a ‘ Star ’ reporter iu a conversation with the secretary of the Otago Education Board (Mr G, W.: Carrington), but the position is alleviated somewhat by the statement that of this number several who are engaged in University studies do not desire employment, and eighteen can take town relieving positions only, cither because of University studies or, for home reasons. Thirty-four teachers have had no work at all this year, though the remainder of the ninety unemployed teachers have received relieving work for larger or shorter periods. “The relieving work,” stated the secretary, “is being distributed as fairly as possible, and it is hoped within the next two or three months that all of these teachers will have received some employment.” “ What is the Education Department doing in the matter?” Mr Carrington was asked. “The department is not able to do much to improve the position.” the secretary replied, “ but during the past two or three years admissions to training colleges have been under the control of the department, and the number of students admitted has been restricted.”

“It is impossible to avoid a certain amount of unemployment at the beginning of every year,” the secretary continued, “ for the board must have more relieving teachers at the beginning of the year than can be immediately absorbed, and the position in Otago at the present time is little different from what was the case last year.” Before the end of the year (Mr Carrington thinks) the nosition should be almost normal, and lie said that last November untrained teachers had to he employed to fill relieving positions in Otago on account of the fact that all the certificated teachers had been absorbed in work before then. Are many Dunedin-trained teachers going north in quest of positions? To this query Mr Carrington replied that already several_ Otago teachers had been successful in securing positions under northern education boards, and of the ninety teachers at present unemployed twenty-eight were men and sixty-two women. Jt is stated that the position is aggravated because some teachers desirous of securing a certain type or position do not apply for every position for which they are eligible.