TEACHING PROFESSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22718, 2 November 1935, Page 21

TEACHING PROFESSION

" ANOMALOUS REGULATIONS " BETTER STAFFING ADVOCATED What he described as the anomalous staffing regulations at present in existence in the teaching profession in New Zealand was the subject of comment by Mr D. Forsyth, headmaster of the Port Chalmers School, in an address at a meeting of the Otago branch of the Educational Institute last evening. Mr Forsyth said that there were two totally different principles applied to the staffing of primary and of post-primary schools. Primary schools were staffed on "average number in attendance for the previous year," while post-primary schools were staffed on " roll number at March 1 " —that was, the peak attendance for the current year. It seemed impossible to justify the two principles, but even more so when it was understood that the secondary departments of district high schools were staffed on the former, while secondary schools were staffed on the latter basis.

The Educational Institute had long asked for staffing on average attendance without success. It now asked for complete parity in staffing conditions with the other branches of the service. To gain parity staffing at the peak period was essential —in the case of primary schools at November 1. It was the contention of the institute that the system advocated would remove many of the present anomalies and much of the present dissatisfaction among teachers and committees.

Under the present system, when the school waß staffed on average attendance for the previous year, it frequently happened, especially in a growing district, that the succeeding year showed a large increase in roll number. The Bchool was compelled to carry a surplus roll of considerable dimensions fop some time before an extra permanent teacher could be granted. The department acknowledged this weakness when it allowed for the appointment of additional assistants in extreme cases of the overloading of rolls. These additional assistants were really only a partial solution of the problem, as the result was frequent staff changes on account of the fact that they were not really members of the 'permanent Btaff. The difficulties of organisation, too, were great. With a fluctuating roll number, and the appointment or withdrawal of additional assistants, there was often a frequency of change of organisation within a school that acted detrimentally to the interests of pupils. This had been noted very much recently during the operation of the rationed scheme. In the higher >grade schools particularly, very largely due to the present system of staffing, the organisation schedules were a source of constant worry and trouble, and must be similarly troublesome to the department. It seemed unfair that staffing should be at the mercy of such things as epidemics, minor sicknesses, accidents, family considerations, changing population and bad weather. The department had had to admit to eome extent the anomalous Btate of affairs that existed in that it had endeavoured to frame regulations to meet such conditions. These afforded only partial relief, and were at best a makeshift. It had been suggested that if the system were changed there would not be the same incentive to teachers and committees to strive for regular attendance;, and that the present system compelled teachers to use every endeavour to keep attendance up to the mark. Surely this was a reflection on the integrity and the honesty of purpose of teachers and committeemen. Even from the most selfish aspect —that of teachers getting credit for results obtained —it was in the teachers' interests to see that children attended as regularly as possible, irrespective of the average attendance. And most teachers were imbued with a definite sense of duty which would make impossible the slackening of interest in euch matters. Enough had been said to show that the system was at present one of constant change, upsetting to the pupils, to the school organisation and to those responsible for administration. In advocating a change teachers were merely asking for equality of treatment and consideration with other branches of the service, which were staffed on peak roll as at March 1, and it seemed only just and equitable that the primary service, the foundation of the whole system of education, should receive as favourable treatment. It was admitted that the matters of additional staffing, increased cost, and additional accommodation were problems; that a new basis of appointment would tend toward a new status and that other factors would tend to operate. These were problems that could and should be faced, and the institute was confident that the results would tend to an immediate decrease of unemployment, a much greater stability of staffing and a much greater efficiency of work generally. In addition the proposed changes would tend to increase capitation allowances to school committees and would tend to remove the dissatisfaction of committeemen and parents concerning the instability of staffs.