TEACHERS' SALARIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10431, 8 November 1919, Page 6

TEACHERS' SALARIES

£200,000 MORE A YEAH GOVERNMENT APPROVES PROPOSED INCREASES. A statement as to the effects of recent legislation in respect to teachers' salaries were made by the Prime Minister yesterday. I The proposals of the Education Department for increases ; to toachers' ' salaries have now been' approved by 'the Government, said Mr Massey. The scales of salaries previously in force • have not been altered, hut provision is made whereby each certificated teacher will receive .111 increase based on his position in the Dominion grading list in accordance with a specified schedule. * Uncertificated and licensed teachers will receive the former scale of salaries, without the deductions previously imposed for the absence of _ » certificate, together with an addition of £lO in the case of licensed teachers. Other increases are provided in particular instances, the main one being the payment of an additional £lO per annum to all teachers in schools of Grade I. to 111.8. Pupil toachers will be paid as fplIdws;—Third Grade: £65 per annum; Second Grade, £75 per annum; First Grado, £35 per annum. Probationers will ho paid £OS per annum for tho first year and £75 per annum for the second year. Training college students receive annual increases of £3O. l*upil teachers, probationers, and training collejio students will receive in addition to the above rates £25 per annum, if obliged to live away from hom». The increases, which amount in tne aggregate to £200,000 per annum, aro to date from April let last.' The arrears will be paid as soon as possible, but as a large amount of clerical work is involved, payment -will not be made probably until the first week in December.

An important provision is one relating to relieving teachers, -who will be paid fixed salaries -when employed in the future, and will receive other benefits to which they were not previously entitled. New regulations for leave of absence will be issued providing a more liberal scale of sick pay. -Organising teachers will be paid- house allowance of £SO per annum. The increases above referred to, to. gether with the> increases received on January Ist last, aggregate in the majority of cases amounts varying from £4O to £6O, and in many cases from £65 to £BO. Provision is also made foj slightly increased staffing'of the larger schools, and for the appointment of a larger number of probationers. The regulations authorising the payments will be gazetted in about ten days or a. fortnight's timo, and will then be distri. buted to those interested. N.Z.E.I. COMMENT. On behalf of the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute the following comment %-as made last night: —One important new feature is an attempt to solve the difficult problem of the temporary and relieving teacher. A system of grading has been devised which will assure to these a definite status and salary, and will also secure equaiitv of Areatmont in the difforent education districts. Sack-leave and sick-pay have also been put on a definite basis. Minor alterations aro made in the regulations relating to the grading and .staffing of schools, and in regard to training colleges. The payment of removal expenses pf teachers when such removal is ordered by the board is also provided for; but in this respect teachers have still to complain that they are not treated in anything like so fair a way-as the Public Service. Occasion has been taken to give acknowledgment to the principle of payment according to merit. The present schedule of salaries remains, eycept that the minimum salarv for the lowest grade of assistant teacher is raised to £130: Everv teacher will receive an increment of not less than £lO, and as much more aa is warranted by his grading marks viewed in relation to those of other teachers of similar standing. In effect, it will probably appear that tho general average of increment will be from £25 to £4O a year. It is not too much to suppose that tho application of this principle to payment will _he followed by its application to appointments and promotions.