TEACHER TRAINEES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22416, 25 August 1947, Page 3

TEACHER TRAINEES

SCHOOL SHORTAGES PROBLEM OF STAFFING INSTITUTE'S PROPOSALS Mr. G. H. Mitchell, of Christchurch, national president of the New Zealand Educational Institute, recently prepared a programme to meet the shortage of teachers. It has been adopted by the Dominion executive and recommended to the Education Department. The following immediate measures were proposed, that:— (1) To encourage superannuated and married women teachers to take up relieving positions, they should be entitled to superannuation and full relieving salary; (2) When teachers' wives accept relieving positions for more than 90 days, the teachers concerned should be entitled to full married salary; (3) Departmental restriction on tire appointment of relieving teachers should not be enforced if a superannuated or married woman teacher is available in the district, and that head teachers should have the authority to secure the services of such teachers: (4) All itinerant specialists, except those on grade A. be used as relievers: (5) Teachers serving in the forces, including J force, should be released on application; (6) Students in training should not be used unless other measures are inadequate. Future .Measures For 1948, Mr. Mitchell suggested:— (1) That all suitable applicants with school certificate and 17 years of age at time of entry, be accepted for training. and that those sitting the examination this year be permitted to apply in anticipation; 12) that advertisements to this effect be published immediately, and candidates selected subject to examination results: (3> that an emergency training centre be established in a separate town or towns, but under the direction of an existing training college, the course to be for applicants more than 21 years of age, and to last for one year, plus the probationary year; (4) that applications should be invited immediately from men and women in other walks ol life for training under the scheme, and that academic entrance qualifications should be relaxed if entrants are suitable in other directions; (5) that there be no third year specialists next year, but that specialists for 1949 be chosen from the 1948 probationary assistant year group. Fifth Training College Urged

As a permanent policy, Mr. Mitchell urged that immediate consideration be given to the opening of a fifth training college. He said selection committees should interview applicants for training college early in their sixth form years, and to give them a definite indication of their prospects in time to stop suitable applicants from drifting to other occupations because of uncertainty. He suggested that a liaison officer (or officers) should be appointed to advise pupils in post-primary schools about conditions in the teaching service.