SCHOOL TEACHERS ON TRANSFER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 22, 9 November 1945, Page 4

SCHOOL TEACHERS ON TRANSFER

A CALLOUS indifference to the hardship,, inconvenience, and in many cases, actual suffering, imposed upon its officers under transfer to other districts is evidenced by the Education Department in hundreds of recent cases throughout the Dominion. Numerous instances have been brought to the public notice, whereby married teachers, often with young families are transferred into towns where there is no possible prospect of accommodation of any kind. Their plight is desperate, to say the least, and has often resulted in a separation of families for in'defineable periods. For a Government Department of the size and with the ramifications of our educational system, the state of many of its country officers is one: for wide reproach. We fail to see any reason why a departure should not be embarked upon without delay;, whereby permanent residences could be provided by the Board adjacent to all schools. Such a system would be economic, and would provide rental propositions when not in use. Whakatane has known the desperation with which tea-> chers have been forced to canvas the streets in order to find accommodation of any sort. This state of affairs reflects darkly upon the educational control of our country, and also casts a stigma upon the community at large.