TEACHER TRAINING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 237, 19 September 1934, Page 2

TEACHER TRAINING

Minister Corrects Misapprehensions.

By Telegraph —Press Association ' WELLINGTON, September 18.

When interviewed, the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. Masters, said that he was at a loss to understand statements appearing in the Press in regard to teacher-training. From the reports it would appear that he had called a conference of professors of education to advise him in regard to the form the future training of teachers should take. As a matter of fact, on August 24 a deputation representing four university colleges waited upon him and suggested a conference with his officers. The deputation proposed that teacher-training should be undertaken in conjunction with the work of the university colleges. He had informed the deputation that he would be very pleased to allow officers of his department to go into this very important question with representatives of the colleges and stated that if the colleges had an efficient and economical scheme he would be pleased to hear of it and would give it very careful consideration.

It was not true, therefore, ss stated in the Press, that the eoafCr'.nee was called by the Minister. The fact is that he was asked to consider tions which professors of education proposed to put before him, and this he agreed to do. The professors met in Wellington on September 11 and placed their p-oposals before him, but owing lo indeiluiteness in some parts of the scheme, be suggested that they should give these further consideration and discuss the whole matter in detail with the Directui He had not placed any proposals before the deputation, but had mentioned a few facts in regard to the future requirements of the service.

Neither he nor his officers had said anything that could be interpreted to mean that a large shortage of teachers had been discovered to be facing the department. Such a statement could not have been made, because it was so obviously contrary to fact. There had been no official miscalculation, because the returns supplied by education boards showed the exact number of teachers occupying positions in lieu ol probationary assistants, relieving teachers, additional assistants, teachers in charge of grade schools and teachers unable or unwilling to accept positions. The statement that there were only about 300 teachers available for appointment was without any foundation in fact, there being more than double this number of additional assistants employed under the rationing scheme at the present time. It was true that the natural Wastage vas between 450 and 500 per annum and in all calculations this loss, caused by retirements, marriage, und death, was one of the most important factors to be taken into account. In connection with the maintenance and supply of teachers, the present snp ply of trained certificated teachers was sufficient to meet the requirements oi the service until 1936. He had little doubt that it would be necessary to

begin training teachers again in 1935 to meet requirements in 1937, the normal course of training being two years in the colleges. In May of last year and again on July 10 of this year, he had stated publicly that as far as he could see, it would be necessary to begin teachertraining again in 1935 to meet the requirements of 1937. Nothing that he or his officers had said would justify the professors or anyone else in concluding that he had under consideration the restriction of the work of teachertraining to Auckland. He was fully aware that no training college could accommodate from 800 to 1000 students, and never at any time had it entered his mind to authorise capital expenditure to make provision for such a large number in one of the institutions.