Too Many Teachers Leaving Profession

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1948, Page 5

Too Many Teachers Leaving Profession

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. ■ Researcli into reasons why- some teachers abandon their profession soon after their training is to be undertaken over the next few months, said the secretary of the New Zealand Kducational Institute (Mr. G. R. Ashbridge'). The preliminarv work would be carried out by a Victorisgjjteiversity College student, and it u^j^^^ected the first stages of the w'orkyHHKpl be completed early in"February. "This is a problem which has been giving us a groat deal of coneern, " said Mr. Ashbridge. "There does not seem much profit in'cramming the training colleges full to the doors when a large number of students leave once their course is completed, or within the first few years of their careers. " The number of teachers in the country was too low for the task of teaching all the children. He said the cause was not insufiicient recruits, but lay at a somewhat later stage. Undoulitedly, the highest loss among women recruits is to marriage," commented Mr. Ashbridge. "However, whatever other inc.idental causes, there are, we intend to find them out." Wliether the loss was due to faults in the teachers themselves, or whether it was in the community at large, the intention was to make public the reresults of the researcli, eoncluded Mr. Ashbridge.