THE TEACHING PROFESSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19203, 20 June 1924, Page 6

THE TEACHING PROFESSION.

COUNCIL OF EDUCATION.

MEETING IN WELLINGTON.

(Per United Press Association )

WELLINGTON, June 19. The differences that are stated to exist between the conditions covering the tcohnicha! ami secondary school teachers were placed before the Council of Education to-day. Mr Howell (Wellington) moved - “That the council considers it, unwise to attempt to co-ordinate the schemes for teachers in the secondary and technical schools.” He also moved —“That the regulations for the classification of teachers in technical schools he amended in the direction of rendering their conditions of service no loss favourable than those of teachers in secondary schools, especially in regard to (a) staffing, .(b) evening work, (c) the salary ot head teacher, and (d) the maximum teaching hours.” The subject of the resolution, Mr Howell said, was one that had greatly exorcised the stalls of technical schools for some time. They felt theWere working under unfair conditions, and that although during the time of serious financial difficulty'to the country little was said or done to call attonton to the stato of things, now that a return was being made to normal conditions it was time that the unfair conditions ware remedied,

Dr Marsden (Assistant-director of Education! said the fact that technical school teachers did not want their grading placed on the same basis as that of seeon, teachers was an indication of satisfaction on the part of the technical teachers with their conditions.

Mr Gaughlcy (Director of Education) thought that Hie pupils attending dav courses should not be engaging themselves with some of the courses.

At the afternoon’s meeting of the Conn nil of Education Mr J. 11. Howell (Web lington) moved a resolution providing for equal representation on tlm conned of primary, secondary,, technical, and university education. At tho present time, he pointed out, there were four representatives of primary school teachers on the council and four representatives of education boards, which control the primary schools, but only two ioint representatives of technical and secondary school teachers. Further, as lecondaiy school teachers outnumber technical school teachers, the former always received two seats on the council. The motion was defeated, and a resolution proposed by Dr Marsden was canned that there should he a special representative on the council for technical school teachers, technical school boards, and secondary school boards.

A proposal by Mr E. C. Banks (Auckland! ‘ that as male teachers reached the height of efficiency at 40 and female teacUers at 2 3 their grading marks should be reduced after these ages was lost. Miss Chaplin (Christchurch) moved a resolution with a view to compelling education boards to give women teachers the same chance as men or equal grading for appointments ns head teachers of small country schools. She nnesUoned the legality of the action of the boards who passed over women applicants to appoint men of less efficiency. Mr Cousins (principal of the Auckland Training College! strongly supported the motion. Tho discussion was not finished when the council adjourned till 10 o’clock to-morrew morning.