DRASTIC CHANGES

Southland Times, Issue 21729, 15 June 1932, Page 8

DRASTIC CHANGES

TRAINING COLLEGES. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 13. A drastic change-over is to be made at the beginning of the next training year in the administration of the New Zealand teachers’ training colleges, which will see the closing of . the Wellington and Dunedin institutions. This will necessitate fairly heavy staff retrenchments. This statement was made to the Dominion by the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters) in reply to a question as to the effects of the move which is being made on the ground of economy. No new students would be admitted to the training colleges next year, said the Minister, who explained that those students who would normally be returning to Wellington or Dunedin colleges would be transferred to Auckland and Christchurch. These transfers would be made in order to strike a balance in. attendances at the two colleges. As closely as possible the convenience of students would, of course, be considered wherever possible. It might be necessary for some Wellington students to go to Auckland. Others would have to go to Christchurch. The closing of two colleges would necessitate a fairly large reduction in the teaching staff. However, all those retrenched would be able to apply for positions in secondary, technical and primary schools, and they would be placed as vacancies occurred, as it was realized that all the teachers were qualified and that their services would be valuable if they could be placed. There would be a reduction in the number of physical training instructors from eight to four, only two men and two women instructors being retained. It had been possible in the past to employ physical training instructors to travel round the country, but this would not be done in future. Physical training instruction would now be given at the training colleges, and students would be expected to take this with them to the schools as part of their teaching equipment.