STAFFING OF SCHOOLS

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14073, 3 December 1909, Page 3

STAFFING OF SCHOOLS

Dl*LTSoK>.\ BV SCHtftlL CO.UMll Thr.. At the meeting of the Tiniaru -Main .Scliooi t-omiillttee last night, nn- ucir.i-ma-ster (Mr u. UaifeliMii, »i-.<ugnt Loiter notice si a important nutter relating to the stafrins of &chools. The ■committee brotignt tnis matter under the notice of tue Education lioard at its meeting on Tuesday la-t, but apparently there had then been some misconception as to the actual position, and the Hoard declined to take anv action.

Mr Dalglish said that Ins reading of the Amendment Act governing the staffing of schools, might not be correct, but he knew that when it was ■passed in 1008, teachers thought it a •great improvement on the old Act, be•canse the pnpll teacher system was to be practically abolished. He took jt that the new system was to he gradually introduced —not that all the pupil teachers were to be discharged in one year. According to the Act the Main School was entitled to lottr Assistants, who won- to lie gradually substituted for the pupil teachersNay one at a time fl c the term of the teachers exnired. ft aopoared 1 !•:>>■ th~ Rnflrfl t.wk it thr.t t1... er.niT , .»tt«"-f T de'fred to di-rwv«"o with the :>ll at nnir. rnd '!et tour in their ptru--. I-ur that was not t!>,-> crro.

J'he Act t,aul that the additional assistants "MiaU t)C appointed m lieu >A tin; pupil teachers only at the. times, and to the extent piv.scnoed oy regulations." Me took it that when the nine of a pupil readier was up, tiny would ttiKe on an assistant instead of appointing other pupil teachers. Under the amended .Act the .Main School would be able to lepiace its pupil teach era one at a time, up to a total of four, by iisMstanis. .Some pupil teachers n on Id still be retained m the school. A question had been raised as to where adult teachers would come from if the pupil teachers were discharged, and. the answer was; From the Normal schools, from the pupil teachers who would not be discharged, and from the probationers who would be appointed under the new Act. He took it that the new Act contemplated .staffing the schools without pupil teachers, and that ' while probationers would he employed, they would only be in the schools for the purpose of learning the principles of teaching, without beinix considered nart <f the staff. Probationers would not be expected to tench more than three hours a dnv. and would not be considered par. of th« stair. Tudor the ~l<) Act pimd teachers had to work five b-ii,s .•» dnv and then *]o tll"ir .cf.udviinj niter that, which was rather hard on them, and the new Act sought to remedy this hy <n'ving them only three hours work a day. Mr Vogeler asked whether they wonld have as many probationers as th"v had nupil teachers. Mr Dnlglish said he did not think

so. The Act said that the regulations under it could not come into force until three months after they had been printed; no regulations had been printed regarding the appointment of assistants, though the Act was a year old, and lie thought the Department should be asked to print the regulations fo that the Act could be brought into iorce. Until thev were printed, not only Timaru Main, but all the schools employing pupil teachers must bo at a disadvantage. Timaru was entitled to another teacher this year, I 'lit could not get one because the Department had not printed these regulations

-Air Wilson suggested that possibly the Department was delaying the liiattor ior financial reasons, or owing to the dearth of teachers. The chairman said that when he brought this matter under the notice of the Board, it was not in any selfish way for the particular benefit of the Main School. It was a matter affecting all the schools, where pupil teachers were employed. It was very desirable that the Act should be brought into force. He had not understood, •when addressing the BoaTd, that the four new teachers would be appointed at once. He suggested that the N.Z E.T.. should take the matter up.

Mr Dalglish said they did not want to shirk their duty in training young teachers, and they would still have them under the new Act.

On the motion of Mr Yogeler, seconded by Mr Robertson, it was decided to ask "the Board to again consider the advisableness of approaching the Department with a request that regulations in regard to the staffing of schools, as referred to in section -5. sub-sections 2 and 3, of the Act of 1908. he gazetted.