TEACHERS’ VACANCIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11252, 3 July 1922, Page 3

TEACHERS’ VACANCIES

1 A MISINTERPRETATION EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EXPLAINS POSITION. ■WHAT IS REQUIRED. Owing to a misinterpretation of the remarks of the chairman (Mr W. F. Ward) at the last meeting of the Board of College Governors, a wrong impression was given as to tne position regarding the advertising of teachers’ vacancies. The actual position is disclosed in the following circular letter from the Department of Education :

“Complaints have been received regarding; (1) Delays in filling .vacancies through having to advertise' for applications for vacancies to which teachers already on tho staff are promoted; (2) ambiguous and indefinite statements of requirements in advertisements.

“It has been suggested that where suitable assistants are already on the staff, boards should bo permitted to promote them without advertising. If this were done, however, every appointment would not be open to competition from all suitable teachers in the Dominion, the best qualified teacher available might not have a chance of applying, and teachers of larger schools would have an undue advantage that would hav© the effect of adding further to the difficulties of smaller schools in securing suitable applicants for vacancies. The department, therefore, cannot approve of the suggestion to omit the advertisement in these cases.

“Where, however, there is a likelihood that a vacancy may be filled by promoting a teacher already on the staff the board is asked to advertise, not only the vacancy, but the consequential vacancy should the promotion be made. If this is done time will be saved.

“Regarding the second complaint boards are requested to state definitely (a) the grade of position to be filled, (b) the special qualifications (if any) required. The salary in all cases is fixed by the regulations, so that it is unnecessary to stat&. ‘salary acording to grade,’ which might be taken to mean according to classification. “The secretary of the Secondary Teachers’ Association has notification to circularise qualified teachers seeking promotion or transfer if he is informed when vacancies occur and applications close, and boards are -requested to take advantage of this offer. Further, the department should be notified at once when a vacancy is imminent, so that the advertisement required by the re-' gulations may be inserted in the first lesuo of the Gazette.”