EDUCATION ECONOMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21280, 6 September 1932, Page 11

EDUCATION ECONOMY

SMALL BUILDING FUND EMPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS MINISTER AND BOARD CONFER Considerations of economy figured largely in the discussion of several educational matters at a conference held yesterday between numbers of the Auckland Education Board and the Hon. 11. Masters, Minister of Education. When the board' brought lo the Minister's notice some urgent building works Mr. Masters pointed out that the total grant for building throughout New Zealand was only £57.000. "You should know how much money is available so that you can shape your requests accordingly," said Mr. Masters.

"Some economies have been effected which might quite easily have been carried -out in more prosperous times," said tho Minister. "For instance, I am satisfied after careful consideration that there never has been need for more than two teachers' training colleges in New Zealand."

Early consideration of the question of closing tho Ponsonby main school and retaining the infant department as a side-school to the Curran Street school was promised by the Minister. Mr. T. TJ. Wells, chairman of the board, said this step was favoured by the school committee. The Ponsonby school was a very old one and the attendance had fallen considerably. The present acting-head-master had now secured a permanent position elsewhere and the school staff was composed largely of relieving assistants. The question of the right of married women teachers to promotion and their transfer from other education districts ■was discussed. The Minister said the intention of the legislation giving boards power to dismiss married women teachers was that young teachers out of permanent employment should be given the opportunity to secure positions held by women whose husbands could support them. However, it seemed that if a board accepted a married woman as a teacher, having considered all the circumstances, it had no right to deny her progress in the profession. Possibly boards would have to accept married women teachers from other districts who were successful in obtaining positions in their employ, but they had the right of considering their position at any time. The serious condition of unemployment among young teachers was stressed by Mr. Wells in asking the Minister whether it was proposed to retain present school staffs during next year. Mr. Wells said that in the Auckland district 365 teachers were not in permanent positions and 100 students would leave the training college this year. There were 142 assistants' positions to fill next year. Tho reduction of the school age might affect the attendances and consequently the slafling next year. The Minister said that at present it was the intention of tho department to enforce the staffing regulations as usual next year. He recognised that tho Auckland district was particularly unfortunate, owing to the movement of Southern teachers to Auckland.