SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19719, 19 August 1927, Page 12

SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS

THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES. SALARIES NOT TEMPTING. The difficulty of obtaining trade teachers for New Zealand technical colleges was dealt with in a letter from the Minister of Education, Hon. R. A. Wright, received at the meeting of the Sedddn Memorial Technical College board of managers yesterday. The letter was in repiy to one from the board in regard to the difficulty experienced in obtaining teachers from abroad. The Minister stated that the experience of the board was not singular, as the department found it lmpossiDle to secure efficient teachers from overseas at the present rate of salary offered in New Zealand, it was impossible to accept the board's suggestion that the salaries paid m Australian schools should be regarded as a basis for the grading of Australian applicants. The question of training teachers was one of considerable difli.culty owing to the highly technical nature of the training required and the small number of teachers needed. It was hoped, however, to make arrangements as regards art teachers in the near future. While it was desirable to appoint trade teachers with actual experience in the trade, such appointees, by reason of their lack of training for and experience of teaching, could not be paid a salary corresponding to what they would earn in their own trades. The chairman said the letter told the board very little that it did not already know. The board understood that Australian technical college teachers were trained at special training colleges and had hoped the department would offer salaries which would induce these teachers to come to New Zealand. The board recognised that the establishment of special colleges in the Dominion would not be justified at this stage in the development of technical education. However, it seemed that the board could do nothing further in the matter.,