TEACHERS' PAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17504, 21 December 1918, Page 8

TEACHERS' PAY

INCREASED BY £118,000.

ATSW REGULATIONS sua BY MINISTER.

A clauso in last session's Appropriation Act provided for increases in tho salaries of school teachers amounting in all to some £118,000 a year. Tho Hon. J. A. Hanan (Minister of Education) stated on Wednesday that tho necessary regulations had been approved by Cabinet. The increases, which are to come into effect as from January 1 next, ranging from £10 to £30, will averago £20 for each teacher. The principal changes made are as under: — HEAD TEACHERS. Present New * Scale. Scale. Grade 1 „ £110-£l4O £130-£l6O Grade 2.„ ... £140-£l9O £160-£220 Grade 3a _ ... £200-£250 £220-£270 Grade 3b - ... £200-£250 £230-£290 Grade 4 - £260-£3lO £280-£330 Grade 5 ... _. £320-£360 £340-£3 BO Grade 6 „ ... £370-£4OO £360-£4lO Grade 7 „ ... £410-£440 £420-£450 The house allowances for head teachers will remain the same as at present, except that in tho case of Grade 2 (average attendance of 21-35) it will bo £30 per annum, instead of £20 as at present. ASSISTANTS. In the case of assistant teachers the two scales compare as follow:— s Present New Scale. . Scale. Grade 1 ... £HO-£l2O £120-£l4O Grade 2._ _ _ £120-£l4O £140-£l6O Grade 3_ _ £150-£IBO £160-£2OO Grade 4_ _ _ £190-£220 £210-£240 Grade 5 £230-£250 £2SO-£270 Grade 6 „ £260-£2 BO £270-£290 Grade 7 ... „ £290-£3lO £300-£320 Grade 8_ _ £320-£360 £330-£370 Married male assistants, in addition to these salaries, are to receive an allowance of £30 (£lO more than at present), so ';hat all married male assistants will receive immediate increases of £20 or £30. The increases outlined will be in addition to tho annual increments (if any) that teachers would be entitled to under the present Act. SIZE OF CLASSES REDUCED. • re S u ' a tions also provide for increasstaffs of many of the larger schools. Hitherto, as the average attendance of a school increased from 400 upwards, another teacher or pupil teacher has been added to the staff for each, increase of 50 in average attendance. Under the amended regulations an additional assistant (or junior teacher) will be allowed for each 40 pupils. Probationers and pupil teachers (now junior teachers) were granted increases m then: allowances and salaries in June last, but they are to receive further increases as shown m £he following table. PROBATIONERS' PAY. Previously probationers received £30 dot annum for tJie first year; in June this wS increased to £45; under the new rate ™ W +k . For tho second thfj - rates y ero Previously £35: they were increased m June to £50, and th°l %f 3 bB , £6 °" In each case they will be allowed £25 i>er annum if obliged to live away from' home.

MORE FOR PUPIL TEACHERS. Previously pupil teachers (or junior teachers) were granted.—First year, £35, I allowance; second year,, £40, plus £15 lodging allowance; third and fourth year, £55, plus £10 lodging allowance. ± nese rates were increased in June to £40 phw £25; £50, plus £25; and £50, plus 1i ' From January 1 the old lirst-year" pupil teachership will be abolished, and the rates will be: £60, £66 and £65 respectively, with an additional £25 for lodging allowance if obliged to live away from home.

FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS. In addition to these alterations the regulations, added the Minister, would contain many other important improvements. For example, infant mistresses must be appointed to the position ot first female assistant in the larger schools. When a school falls in grade, the board will be required to take the first opportunity of transferring the teacher to another position.

When the. average of a school increases or decreases, the consequential increase or decrease of the staff will bo made to operate sooner than under the existing regulations.

Training college students, pupil teachers, and probationers who have served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force within the period August 4, 1914, to November 12. 1918, and who had not yet fully completed their course of training at the time of proceeding on active service may, with the approval of the Minister, be granted special consideration to enable them to occupy certain positions. . " Speaking generally," said Mr Hanan, '" I would like to have been able to make some other improvements, but being limited to the amount (£118,000) granted by Cabinet, I have endeavoured, taking all things into consideration, to do the best I could. The task of dealing with these regulations has been a most difficult one."