TEACHERS DISTURBED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8179, 22 July 1912, Page 7

TEACHERS DISTURBED

UNCERTAINTY OF PROMOTION SOME PEKTINEM' tjEKSTIONS. (To the JMiter. "Sdi. Times.") .^• r lu* ono question disturbing teasers U>-day it is the uncertainty juvinolwu. yet tnero is a Ha-ssuivau.m scheme in operation which eau bo used for tlio purposes ol protnoi.on; this was its original internum. and the regulai use or it would throw tho whole Dominion into line and .do more to allay unrest than any oilier innovation that the Education Commission could introTho sehemo referred to is tliat of tho Education Department published annually in the Ga/.eito. Under it teachers are classified A, B, C, D, E, according to examination attainment, tlio A class being (roughly) those having M.A. with first or second-class honors j tho B class AI.A. with thirdclass honors or IUA.; tho C class, first section of H.A. or a satisfactory Training College course of two years; the D and E classes, special examination of the Education Department. To attain each certificate extra qualification is required in subjects of a professional nature. The examination is no longer held, but the E certificates issued continue to have force. Teachers are also classed 1,2, 3,4, 5, according to efficiency and length of service, the mark “1 ” denoting firsEclass efficiency combined with at least eleven years’ teaching experience, and the mark ‘‘TT 7 ' denoting a minimum of efficiency shown after at least two years’ practice in teaching. Tho intermediate figures denote intermediate stages of efficiency and service. In tho following table tho certificates in vertical columns are considered of equal grade, e.g., Ao, 84, C 3, D2, El.

This classification takes adoount of: (a) Educational qualifications, for that is contained in tho letter.

(b) Efficiency, for that is contained in tho figure. (c) Length of service, which also is contained in tEo figure.

(d) Merit, too, is allowed for; e.g., a, teacher of sufficient enthusiasm and energy may rise from, say, D2 to C2 by merely passing tho examination—he, naturally, carries his efficiency mark with him. In this way any energetic teacher may raiso himself above a laggard, and so win in tho raoo for promotion. (o) Seniority also enters, to some extent, for a teacher whose efficiency is denoted by tho figure 1 has, othor things being equal, longer service than those classified under the other figures. Of the candidates applying for any position suppose that four or five should be of the same grade (e.g., A 5, 84, C 3, D2. El), why should not seniority count? Every teacher should have at least so much “ goodwill ” in the service. For this purpose tho date on which a teacher attained his grade should be noted in tho “Gazette.”

If, in making appointments, the department’s classification were regularly followed tho whole teaching service would feel in better heart. Wo are sometimes told that a teacher with the figure “1 ” (denoting first-class efficiency) will occasionally slacken off in his work. That it is so is almost certainly due to the frequency with which men of lower classification are placed in better positions over his head. Let the teacher feel that promotion depends on himself alone and his enthusiasm will continue warm. What do wo find in actual practice? We find that Auckland, ‘Taranaki, Wanganui, and perhaps other districts have their own promotion schemes. These aro mere excrescences on the classification of tho department. They affect to take noto of “personality,” “ability to create environment,”, etc., as if these wore not already contained in tho efficiency mark assigned under the department’s scheme. Their not result is practically to close off large sections of public appointments from tho teachers outside the districts where tho local schemes operate, yet the emoluments of all toacherships are met out of the Consolidated Fund. Tho money is provided by the whole people of New Zealand, and every qualified teacher in the Dominion should have tho opportunity of consideration in connection with every vacancy. It is claimed that larger education districts are required so as to enlarge the range of promotion, but nothing less than a Dominion schckio will be acceptable to the teachers. To increase the education districts might only increase trouble in administration where local knowledge is required. Tho size of districts depends on matters other than the promotion of teachers. To give effect to the general scheme an official “ Gazette ” ■ should bo issued monthly by the department, showing all vacancies. At present teachers have to subscribe to at least thirteen papers (the number of education hoards) if they wish to know what calls there are. The Australian States issue such gazettes, and besides advertising vacancies circulate other information of tho greatest use to teachers.

It has been shown above that a Dominion classification scheme exists; that it takes account of: (a) Efficiency, (b) educational attainments, (c) merit, (d) length of service, and (e) seniority. What more is wanted? It has been shown that it is tho present lack of that makes good men slacken in their work. Give them hope, and there is no fear but they will respond. —I am, etc..

D. A. STRACHAN. Education Offices, Blenheim, July 16 th, 1912.

A 1 2 3 4 5 B 1 2 3 4 5 C 1 2 3 4 6 D 1 2 3 4 5 E 1 2 3 4 5