TEACHERS' PLIGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21482, 4 May 1933, Page 10

TEACHERS' PLIGHT

LACK OF EMPLOYMENT " POSITION IS PITIFUL " ADOPTION OF RATIONING EDUCATION BOARD'S SCHEME "Tlio position is pitiful," said the chairman of the Auckland Education Board, Mr. T. U. Wells, when the problem of unemployed teachers was discussed at a meeting yesterday. The board adopted a rationing scheme, by which to make positions available to as great a number of unemployed teachers as possible, changing the staffs of ex-students of the Training College at the end of the first term. "The position is even more acute this year than in previous years," said Mr. Wells. As far as could be ascertained, the number of ex-students of the Training College who were not in permanent employment would be 603 at the beginning of the second term, the, total comprising 157 men and 346 women. The number who would be in temporary employment as relieving teachers for periods varying from one month to one term would be 217, comprised of 74 men and 143 women. There were six men and 13 women employed in grade 0 schools, leaving 77 men and I'JO women out of employment.

"Great difficulty is being experienced in finding work next term even for those ex-students who received little or no employment during the current term," continued the chairman. "It has, therefore, been found. necessary to terminate the employment of practically all women ex-students and the majority of the male ex-students who have been employed for the whole of the present term. Last year the board was able to continue for the second term the employment of over 40 women ex-students. The board hopes to be in a position to give further employment during the third term to the majority of the exstudents whose present engagements are now being terminated. "The changes will mean a very serious handicap to the schools, which will have to work under a distinct disadvantage. I think the position is more acute in Auckland than elsewhere, but we can take the Dominion figures as at least 800. The cost of training these teachers is £3OO, so that a quarter of a million pounds has been expendad on .training before these teachers were needed. The board five or six ago warned the department that it was training too many students."

The board adopted the rationing system outlined by the chairman, but also decided on the retention of 26 additional assistants who had been employed during the first term and whose further services were recommended by Dr. J. Mcllraithj the senior inspector.