TEACHERS' QUALIFICATIONS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 May 1947, Page 5

TEACHERS' QUALIFICATIONS

AUCKLAND, May 14. The Minister of Education, Mr. vlason, is to be urged by the New Ze.aland Educational Institute to appoint i vvidely representative committee to •eport 011 professional qualilications m the teaching serviee. A resolution to that efl'ect was passed at a session o.r he annual general nieeting of tlie institute after a detailed remit from the Manavvatu braneh suggesting a Bache>or of Education degree as a minimuiu qualification for teachers, had been repJaced by a simpler proposal raising the professional status of teachers, was dis'ussed by a Jarge proportion of the speakers as at sessions earlier thit .veek. Other professions had 'their degrees and a special educational degre.e would give a rine in prestige.' Tlie nature of the special degree was not.. clearly defined by representatives but some of them eons.idered it should liavo a praeticai backgrouud. "The piininuun standard of qffi ciencv today is quite inadequate, ' ' said Mr. M. .T. Dew, of Ot.ago. "This is no relLeclion on teachers who entered. tlie pro-. fession in the past with the C aertili--ate," he added. The training colleges were doing vvhat they could but* two years ' training did not provide tlie necessary background. The principle of a unified salary scale "for siS*ool teachers was approvecl. The matter arose from a reniit sppnsored by the iManawatu branch aslang the meeting to affirm that teachers pt, voung children were. entitlpd ,to salaries equa.1 'to those 'paid teachers of older, ' children.