UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS

Southland Times, Issue 17830, 6 September 1916, Page 2

UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS

FACILITIES FOR QUALIFICATION. WELLINGTON, September 4. With .a view to encouraging uncertificated teachers to qualify for their certificates and simplifying the method of determining the result, the Minister of Education has approved of- amendments in the regulation for teachers’ D certificate examination, which have been made. The examination subjects are 15 in number, and are divided into four groups. Hitherto a candidate has had to gain a pass in one group and a partial pass in another before gaining any credit in the examination, and having passed in one group he could not receive credit for a partial’ pass in more than one other group. These conditions have been found to work rather unfairly, and have made the examination somewhat difficult for the back-block teacher who has not had the advantage of a secondary school education, ■ It has accordingly been decided to, allow a candidate to take one or more of the four groups at a time and to have placed to his credit at one examination a pass in one group, or partial passes, in two groups, or a partial pass in the second group after gaining a pass in one group. Under the new arrangements a candidate may sit for a different part of the examination in each of four successive years, and by passing in a group each year may complete his pass in that time if he so chooses. Indeed, if partial passes are considered as successes he may take as long as seven years over the examination, gaining some credit in each. It is hoped that these concessions will induce many teachers who have hitherto held back to make an attempt to obtain a certificate. Witli the training classes, summer schools, and correspondence courses organised by Education Boards for the assistance of uncertiflcated teachers out of funds provided by the Government and the easier pass conditions now issued there should be little excuse for a teacher who .makes no effort to Improve his status.