TEACHERS' SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12834, 6 April 1905, Page 6

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

PAYMENT BY ATTENDANCE.

DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD OP

EDUCATION.

TnE question of the method of payment of salaries to school teachers was brought up at yesterday's meeting of the Board of Education by Mr. 'J. .1. Parr, who moved,

"That in view of the many anomalies, and of the serious injustice frequently arising out of the present system of remunerating teachers according to average attendance only, the Board begs strongly to urge upon the Minister for Education the necessity, in the best interests of primary education, of amending the basis of payment of salaries, so that length of service and classification of a iearlier may also be taken into account in fixing tlie salaries." Mr. Parr said that at present the, sole basis of remuneration to teachers was the average attendance of pupil* at their particular school. Length of service, experience, and rank or classification, were factors which did lid operate in regulating the pay of a teacher. A move absurd and unjust method of paying a. man it would he impossible for human ingenuity to discover. A Iran's ability was to count for nothing, and the only thing that did count was the weather, lie contended that many injustices arose' through this .system of payment. lie had known an epidemic in a district. to reduce the teachers salary by one-half. The Chairman Aid that that sort of occurrence was always taken into consideration.

Mr. Parr considered it was,the duty of the Board to show that they appreciated lie position, and as far as they could were mined to remedy it. Ho quoted instances of reductions in teachers' salaries through the exodus of people from their ; districts. This lie stigmatised as unjust and disheartening, He did not contend that the average attendance should not- be taken into account, but that it should only be one of the factors in deciding what a teacher should be paid. He believed that this reduction in salaries was breaking the hearts id' many of the best men in the i board's employ. Mr. 11. J. Greenslade seconded the motion. He thought that the present system was one of the principal causes tor so many males seeking other employment than that of a, teacher. The system led to teachers putting in applications looking more to the future prospects of a. disttitt than anything else. This system of payment was not adopted in any other profession, ami it. should not be adopted in the case of teachers. The future of the teaching profession was of vital importance to the colony. Mr. I!. Hobbs. in supporting the motion, said he consideied they should also bring before the- Minister's notice the importance 01 a teacher's record— to whether he was in the Board's books as excellent, good, or satisfactory, and so on. Some: teachers, through length of vice, became almost cumbersome to the Board. Mi. 1 . .1. Bagn.dl said that payment by attendance very often caused weak discipline in a. school. Teachers were often afraid to enforce discipline, lest in consequence their salaries might be reduced. Mr. J. Stall worthy advocated better facilities for removing teachers from one school to another. This would help matters. The Chairman'(Mr. S. Luke) also supported the motion. He thought attendance should, however, beau element iu the payment of teachers. Mr. G. V. Edgcumbe also spoke in support of the resolution, whiclb on being put, was carried unanimously.