UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 17 February 1911, Page 4

UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

* • A DUNEDIN PROPOSAL. > f ' "" (By Telecraph—Press Association.) Dunedin, February 16. ■ At a meeting of tho Education-Board to-day, Mr...Al'Kinlay; moved:. /'That,., in - order to encourage uncertificated teachers ; ,to go forward for examination,'the board take into consideration tile establishment of correspondence classss,- and instruct the chief, inspector to draw .up a suitable . scheme, to! be. presented 'to the board :■ ■. ,■ at next meeting." '' '• , ■ , Mr. M'Kinlay said there were ,92 un- . - certificated teachers in Otago district, 63 ladies and 29 gentlemen, and .', some of them had befen in that position since , 1902. Some, of these were uncertificated bccause they' had failed in 'one subject. . It, might be that subject was music (ill the instance of one girl it was), and flagrant - injustice was • done in •; the tenons . deduction in their salaries, .which .they . : had to put up with,- amounting to 10 per cent. ' About 53 of : the '92. teachers had ; attempted examinations, and about. 20 had attended classes got up by teachers , , of Dunedin to equip students for examina- , tion. • Salaries ranged from to X190.,.v ond serious financial difficulty faced the attempt to . equip themselves by examination." They - could not pay the heavy . fees required for correspondence classes out.of'.£loo. : Supposing a teacher, to; ba . taking tho' D examination, there .were., charges issued , for five compulsory snbr ■ jects. and three optional subjects, £8-183.'". Gd. and .£5 ss;. a. total of . pounds, for correspondence class, and then an examination fee,of £1. • It..was;b>o heavy for a poorly-paid . teacher.. The , : Department might assist these teachers.: from certain funds. It deducted 10 per cent, from a licensed teacher,: and the had worked it out that the. total differ- , once between" the salaries teachers were getting and the salaries they would have - been paid had they been certificated on, pnterin® the service. amounted, to! *£750: in: twelve He did' not say the" . whole of that was 1 actual saving to the Department, but 60 per cent of these . teachers might bo brought.-to D""ed'"' twice a year and .trained by" volunteer tmchers in Dunedin. ' The Pepartpient might allow them to take.'.the.D examina- , tion in two sections. : Be'thought if they, remitted half .the fees it would be well. and' at the 1 sariie'. tin* 7S f. threat < should be held out that if nnoertificatodlteach-' ■- ers' failed to qualify in. two their ,; positions would be vacant.. 1 : Jlr*. : GJ'iO; Israel' seconded < the motion, Mr. Tn.it ("Director nf Education in Vic- 1 toria) showed that they-, were trying. the scheme there. ' ! .' The-Hon. T- Fergus, expressed himself., as being in" hearty- 'sympathy, with - the .... motion. A : gTeat deal _ too-mueh had • been made of.the inefficiency of ..theiun'::' certificated teachors; -: He quoted a memorandum by Mr.' Goven. »x-chief' •. inspector, to Sbow that pearly all uncer-. tificated teachers were doing' good work. • The motion-was carried unanimously.