Dissatisfied Teachers

Northern Advocate, 20 June 1938, Page 6

Dissatisfied Teachers

[Per Press Association. Copyright .l TIMAPvU. This Day. A resolution expressing strong disappicval of a memorandum recently issued by the Education Department to education boards recommending the retention of teachers in permanent positions who would normally be retiring was passed at a meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Men Teachers’ Guild on Saturday. Keen disappointment was expressed at the delay which had taken place with regard to salary increases. Mr. F. R. Price, Dominion secretary, said teachers had not at any time during the past 15 years been worse off than at present. The restoration of salary cuts had been largely offset by increases in the cost of living, while the remote allowances, education bursaries and allowances for teachers in schools associataed with training colleges had not been restored. The secretary said he believed that the Education Department did not realise how difficult promotion had become in recent years, The average grading number necessary in 1937 to secure a grade 1 would in 1925 have secured a grade 2 assistantship, or a head-teachership of a grade 3A school: Similarly grading today which would secure for applicants only a grade 3 assistantship would in 1925 have obtained a head-teachership of a grade 5A school. For all grade of positions a teacher required to be graded from 25 to 4G grading marks higher than in 1925.

This represented an average of six years’ additional teaching. The number of grade 7 schools had dropped in that period from 99 to 75. with drastic effect upon promotion. The departmental regulations regarding the staffing of schools contributing to intermediate schools, Mr Price continued, would seriously affect the number of senior assistantships available. Applications to the Educational Institute for grants from benevolent funds had been more numerous, and for greater amounts, during the last 12 months, than during any previous period of the fund’s history.