TRAINING OF TEACHERS

Evening Star, Issue 20196, 8 June 1929, Page 18

TRAINING OF TEACHERS

REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF STUDENTS [Per United Press Association.! AUCKLAND, June S. A reduction in the number of students being trained as teachers, and, if finances permit, the creation of move posts by reducing the size of the classes were two remedies indicated by the Hon. H. Atmore to a strong deputation from the Educational Institute, which asked him to do something for the large number of teachers not in permanent employment. Classes of sixty-one or fifty-seven or less were wrong, said the Minister, and meant a waste of money, because in such classes there could not be proper teaching. There was a. difficulty so far as finance was concerned, but the matter of overcrowding classes admitted of no argument. He believedthere would have to be a reduction in the number of students trained at the colleges. He would like to know whether training college students were getting the training or the subject matter for teaching. If they were getting the subject matter for teaching insteacl of training ho did not blame the principals. The department was to blame, that was to say the Minister, and he accepted it. He promised to go fully into the matter which the deputation had raised.