CONSTANT STAFF CHANGES

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1933, Page 6

CONSTANT STAFF CHANGES

WEAKNESSES OF RATIONING SCHOOL COMMITTEE PROTESTS. EFFECT ON SCHOOL EFFICIENCY. The weaknesses developed in school instruction through the system of rationing teachers were discussed by the West End School Committee at New Plymouth last night. It was decided to support the resolution of the Central committee protesting strongly against the constant changes in staff involved in the present system of rationing teachers for short periods, such changes being most detrimental to the interests of the children. The department is to be urged to formulate a plan more just to the scholars and the attention of the Education Board will be drawn to the problem. The subject was introduced by the headmaster (Mr. W. A. Brown) who in his report said he fully endorsed the opinion of Mr. D. P. Evans, headmaster of the Central school, concerning the reduced efficiency of school work resulting'from the employment of rationed teachers for short periods. Mr. Brown hoped the committee, representing the parents of the West End district, would protest vigorously against a system so unjust to the children, to say nothing of the disorganisation at the end of each term owing to the shuffle of ex-trainees. Enlarging on the problem, Mr. Brown said it had exercised his mind for some time. The results of the employment of rationed teachers were cumulative and the schools were now beginning to feel the effects of the continual staff changes. This was an urgent matter and the Government would have to be tackled with the object of having the system amended in some way. In answer to the chairman (Mr. C. Berg), Mr. Brown said there was only one rationed teacher at the school at present and she would leave at the end of the term. Mr. W. H. Jones, who is a member of the Taranaki Education Board, said the department had introduced the system to reduce unemployment among teachers, but it was certainly having an undesirable effect in the schools. The board had always recognised the weakness of the system, as it had in connection with, the system under which probationary assistants were appointed. Mr. Brown pointed out that whereas a probationary assistant was at . a school a year the rationed teacher was there only a term. It took a teacher at least a term to get to know a class, but at the end of that period a rationed teacher had to go. Mr. Jones said that while the system was designed to provide work for additional teachers, w'ho would otherwise be wholly unemployed, there could be no question about its weakness. Mr. Brown suggested the rationed teachers should be given an appointment for a year instead of the present short period. Surely the country could afford to pay them the little more involved. The teachers would be glad of the practice after coming out of training college and the longer period of the appointment would enable them to obtain some real benefit to themselves and confer some instructional benefit on children.