PRIMARY SCHOOL STAFFS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 3

PRIMARY SCHOOL STAFFS

AVOIDING TOO FREQUENT CHANGES DOMINION CONFERENCE OF COMMITTEES The desirability of avoiding too frequent changes in school staffs was emphasised at the fifth annual conference of the Dominion Federation of School Committees* Associations, which began in the City Council chamber yesterday. Of a number of remits on staff changes,'the following, from Auckland, was approved: "That except in-cases of promotion or extreme urgency, all changes in the teaching staffs of schools should take place at the Christmas vacation."

Concern at the dilapidated state of many teachers' residences was expressed, and the following remit was carried: "That the Dominion executive be asked to go through the report of the New Zealand Men Teachers' Guild, and to take the matter up with the authorities."

A remit was passed urging the Government to increase grants to school committees; and it was also urged that in determining incidental grants the Government should take into consideration the size of. school grounds, floor space, maintenance of grounds, and any other features peculiar to the school or district. School Equipment improvements in school equipment were recommended in a remit urging the Education Department to make a graht to education boards for the replacement of desks in the primers and Standard I.with .chairs and tables with flat tops, school committees not contributing to the cost. It was also considered that education boards should be reimbursed by the department for repairs to baths and assembly halls built by school committees. It was decided to ask the Education Department to give urgent attention to a proposal that an annual medical examination should be made of all pupils in primary and intermediate Other remits proposed that householders' meetings or school committees, or both, should be given the right to decide by plebiscite the form of religious instruction in schools; that more suitable education broadcasts should be presented; that the department should be asked to help boards jn Providing shelters on bus routes; and that where motor transport was used to take children to manual training schools, the department or the board should bear the cost. . .