TEACHERS UNDER NOTICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 14

TEACHERS UNDER NOTICE

EFFECTS OF REGULATIONS TARANAKI WOMEN PROTEST [BY. TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] NEW PLYMOUTH, Monday A strong protest against the present condition of the teaching profession in Taranaki caused by recent departmental legislation was made at a meeting of the Taranaki Women Teachers' Association on Saturday, when, after a full discussion, the following resolution was passed: —" That the 'women teachers of Taranaki view with grave alarm the position created mainly by legislation excluding five-year-old children from admission to school, whereby numerous schools have fallen in grade, and various assistants of long service have received three months' notice of dismissal. The Taranaki branch urges, the Minister to promote immediate legislation to alleviate the situation." A headmaster at a prominent school in New Plymouth in an interview referred to the position as "simply scandalous." Years ago such a condition as the present state of the educational system was unheard of, and no one had ever contemplated such injustices arising. Individual boards were not to blame. They were bofind down to interpret the regulations in a definite manner. These regulations were too rigid and inelastig, and there had been certain cases of injustice. For instance, a teacher at one school had been transferred because his grading marks were one unit below the standard required by the Education Department. This teacher had been giving complete satisfaction, and neither the school committee nor the parents of the pupils wished his removal. In another case, headmasters in schools in two separate towns were to exchange positions because in one of them there were about 16 more pupils, and this was iu schools with a roll of over 400. "Of course, we all realise that the Education Department must have certain standards," continued the headmaster. "On the whole, the grading system has worked well. There is, however, no allowance for local conditions, regulations having to be rigidly enforced. The question must also be considered from the children's point of view. In many schools children at; vital stages of primary education have had as many as three teachers in a year. With conditions such- as this there can be no continuity of teaching policy or instruction." Mr. J. A. Valentine, acting-chair-man of the Taranaki Education Board, stated the board had been faced with the problem of finding positions for two grade 2 women teachers. In one case, through the resignation of another woman teacher similarly graded, they had been successful, but in the other they had had no option under the departmental rules but to give notice of dismissal. "It is unfortunate," he said, "that the teacher, who has given many years of service to the board and who is thoroughly competent, should havo her career terminated so summarily, but we, as a board, havo no choice in the mattor."