Only One Teacher For Three Country Schools

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1948, Page 6

Only One Teacher For Three Country Schools

“I am convinced ihat ihc education system today does not give to the country children what they are entitled 10, and [ think the trend of education is driving children into the towns, said Mr r. b. Tnrlev a member of the Canterbury Education Board, m addressing the meeting of .the West Coast provincial executive of Federated Farmers at"Greymouth yesterday. A ‘-irong protest against the action ol the education authorities in supplying o'nlv a part-time teacher for three small West Coast schools was "made by delegates to i he. meeting, and Mr Turley was present bv invitation to hear the position outlined.

The subject was introduced by Mr H. Beckett (Hohonu), who outlined the difficulties facing the settlers in the Tararnakau district in regard to the education of their children. He said that, with the reopening of the schools, they were informed that no certificated teacher was available for Tararnakau and the Education Board proposed to appoint a grade 1 teacher to look after three schools, Taramakau, Turiwhate, and Humphries. This was not at all satisfactory, added Mr Beckett, and representations had been made to the Education Board in the matter. _ The board replied that it was not intended to keep the children on correspondence lessons, but stressed that it was not possible to find teachers for schools with less than a roll number of nine unless the board called upon someone outside the profession. After pointing out that the regulations made it impossible to appoint a grade I certificated teacher to a school with fewer than nine pupils the board, in its letter, said that the department had authorised the appointment of a grade 1 teacher lor Tararnakau. Wainihinihi and Humphries. He would visit Tararnakau two or three days each week and set lessons for the scholars for the remainder of the week, before going on to the other schools. Onus On Mothers “That explains the whole position,” said Mr Beckett. “The teacher has been appointend and he has come round. He seems very keen, but we had him for three days, and then he had to move on. He set the lessons and the mothers have to do the teaching.” Mr 'Beckett stressed that the parents of the district, considered that the regulations which forbade the appointment of a grade 1 teacher should be suspended, at least in the meantime. • Mr 1 Turley said that, when acquainted of the position, he had communicated with the Education Board and was informed of the arrangement which had been made. There was a shortage of qualified teachers and the board'said that a qualified teacher for two days out of five was better than an unqualified teacher for five days. He, however, knew that ih South Westland un- ; qualified teachers had done very good 1 work and experience they thus ob- <

tained fitted them better for training college. “In my experience of education — 10 or 11 years on the second biggest board in the Dominion, I am con- • vinced that the education system today does not give to the country children what they are entitled to,” continued Mr Turley. “I think the trend of education is driving the children into the towns.” Teachers And The Towns Pointing out that there did not seem to be the same shortage of teachers in the towns, Mr Turley said it appeared that the teachers were like everyone else and did not want ; to stay in the country. He believed that the training colleges should be in the country rather than in the towns, to bring about a state of mind in which the teachers would not want to flood the cities. Making a pledge that he would do all he could to see that country children got canal treatment with those in the towns, Mr Turley said that in any shortage of teachers the country schools should come first. He also expressed the opinion that the staffing of schools should have priority over such things as vocational guidance which had taken 14 good teachers in Christchurch. “And I have yet to learn o fany good they are doing,” added Mr Turley. Mr Turley also expressed opposition to the consolidation of country schools, stating that he had observed that where it had taken place it ruined the farmers’ chance of getting labour, as people would not accept work in a place where their children had to travel eight to 10 miles to school. , m . Again referring to the Tararnakau difficulties, Mr Beckett said tnat the teacher had to cover 200 miles to get round his three schools and had to work on Saturdays to do it. “The whole thing is rotten,” he added. “Either we get a teacher or the children will have to go away from their homes.” < Only Eight Pupils Replying to questions by the chairman (Mr W. H. Martin), Mr Beckett said that there were eight pupils at the school and it appeared that if there were nine, the school would be entitled to a certificated teacher. The chairman said he felt that such an attitude was driving farmers and ■ their families off the land. In many such cases people sacrificed their

farms to give their children a better chance in life. Urging that Tararnakau should , seek a certificated or partly-trained teacher at least, Mr L. Bassett said ■ that the children there had never had , more than two .certificated teachers j' in 25 years. i, Mr M. Wallace moved that an em- - phatic protest be entered against the ; situation which had developed at the : Tararnakau school and against the I regulation which prohibited the ap- j pointment of a certificated teacher, in j such a border-line case. ] The motion was seconded by Mr H. G. Carter and carried. It was decided to forward copies of the resolution to the Minister of Educa- 1 1 tion, the Canterbury Education' 1 Board, Mi’ J. B. Kent, M.P., and' Mr ,2 Turley, who had left the meeting be- j 1 fore the discussion was concluded. t — i