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The former system of writing notes for teachers took up a great part of the evenings, but Inspectors can now devote more time to reading educational literature and to giving addresses. Free use is made of the Department's library. A fuller measure of educational leadership has been attained under the biennial plan. All districts report that every opportunity is taken to address meetings of teachers, School Committees, home and school associations, and other bodies interested in education. Closer contact is maintained with the training colleges, branches of the New Education Fellowship, and officers of the Child Welfare and Vocational Guidance branches. There is also closer liaison with the post-primary inspectorate and teachers. In different centres there are regular meetings of the primary and post-primary teachers, and problems of co-ordination of the courses of work in the schools are discussed with mutual advantage. When the biennial plan was introduced a compromise in the allocation of gradingmarks was made. Instead of awarding the whole biennial increase to teachers in one sum, the marks have been divided into two annual increases. This division has led to much complexity in administering the system, and, together with difficulties of printing, has been the cause of considerable delays in issuing the Teachers' Register. Rehabilitation op Teachers With the cessation of hostilities a new problem presented itself during the year, the return of large numbers of teachers, many of whom had had limited experience in teaching or whose training had been interrupted by the war. It was felt that everything possible should be done to facilitate the rehabilitation of these men in their profession. During their war service their rights as teachers with respect to teaching service for salary increments, promotion, grading, and superannuation had been safeguarded. A few men returned in 1944, and it was found that a period of time spent either in training college or in selected schools was beneficial. Accordingly, in 1945 the system of three-month refresher courses at training college and in schools was instituted. The college staffs were strengthened for the purpose, and work of a varied nature designed to meet the needs and wishes of the men was undertaken with outstanding success. The returned men show preference for real and practical forms of education as exemplified in art, crafts, music, and the use of teaching aids and equipment. While attending these courses, the teachers are paid permanent rates of salary. Many teachers have obtained bursaries or financial assistance provided by the Rehabilitation Department for study at University colleges, the greater number being for full-time courses, estimated at some five hundred for the 1946 session. Many are undertaking science courses, and the teaching service generally will be much strengthened by the addition of so many University trained men. To assist in reducing the size of classes in the large primary schools and in rehabilitating returned teachers, a more liberal staffing schedule was introduced at the end of the year. About 450 new men's position were created, nearly two hundred being A grade or higher paid positions. A large number of training-college students returned to resume their teacher training. Their allowances have been computed on a basis that includes military service as teaching service, and many of the students are paid the rates of salary of probationary or even B Grade assistants. An opportunity was also given to returned servicemen who felt that they would like to take up teaching as a career. Concessions in academic qualifications for admission have been made, and many men have been selected for training. In the past, the opinion has been freely expressed that the age for admission to college is too low and too many entrants are immature. It will be interesting later to compare these with the more mature group of returned men. Training of Teachers In December, 1945, the four training colleges had 1,448 students, exclusive of servicemen, on short courses. Of these, 1,367 were Division A, 24 Division C graduates intending to take up post-primary teaching, and 57 students selected for an additional year's

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