The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1910. TEACHERS AND REFORM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 93, 14 January 1919, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1910. TEACHERS AND REFORM

Anyone who has followed the proceedings at the conference of tie New Zealand Educational Institute now. sitting-, or, for that matter, at earlier conferences, must realisethat the teachers of the Dominion, as a body are well endowed with public spirit. It is probably well within the mark to say that no considerable group or section in the community has more substantial grievances than the teaching profession, and it is certainly true that none is so little inclined to concentrate narrowly upon demands for the satisfaction of its own grievances. Teachers, it is true, are by.no means backward in voicing their legitimate claims in the matter of . salaries and other conditions of employment, but, as the institute debates of the last day or two 'plainly show, they arc broadminded enough to recognise that the illiberal treatment of their own profession is only one bad feature of an educational system which is in many respects defective and in need of reform. Though' teachers themselves do not unduly emphasise, tho point,. one tf> the reforms most imperatively necessary, in order that our schools may become what they ought to be, is that of making tho teaching profession more attractive by dealing justly with those who enter it. As time goes on, it, is becoming more' and more difficult to obtain suitable probationers. The recruiting of male teachers, in' parI ticular has fallen away to an alarming extent. At the same time, it is one of the worst features of the educational system as it stands that classes in general are much too large —a state of affairs which is, of course,even worse for the pupils than for the teachers. All difficulties connected with the shortage of teachers and the undue expansion of classes have been intensified by the war, but they existed in an acute form before the war, and will continue to exist until radical reforms are instituted. It would be foolish to anticipate any great _ progress in educational reform until the teaching profession lias been substantially reinforced, and'the reinforcements which a-re so badly needed will hardly bo obtained until the remuneration of teachers has been established on a, fair basis and they, are assured of a progressive reduction of classes to a size compatible with efficiency and tho best results generally. The proposals -which have been approved at the' present conference of the institute or are now under consideration are remarkably- bold. Indeed, it must be added that sovoral of them suggest a disregard of practical difficulties to be overcome and a marked disinclination to admit that in education as in other activities reform must.-progrcss step by, step , . Something was said in tho early proceedings of the conference about filling the gap left by the failure of the Government to circulate an Education Bill last session, but it is impossible to regard the proposals .framed as a practical working programme ripe for early adoption. Tnus far the conference has affirmed that compulsory education should be extended to sixteen years of age_ without exception financial assistance being given when'necessary, and that between tho ages of sixteen and eighteen there should be compulsory parttime attendance in daylight hours at continuation or vocational classes. 'On top of this it has been resolved by delegates that the nine education boards at present existing should give place to the National Education Board, which would exercise the widest powers, under Parliament; in supervising and directing education, and would control the teaching staff. It has been agreed also that, with the present education boards eliminated, - 1 the present school committees should give place to committees whose functions, would extend to a.group of schools. In general these proposals must be regarded rather as opening up useful grounds of controversy than as denning a ■ policy ■ likely to commend itself at the present time as practicable and acceptable; An exception should, perhaps, be made in regard to the proposal that the teaching'profession should be placed under the control of a national authority as distinct from that of the education, boards. This change would freely open the whole of the public educational institutions of the Dominion as a field of promotion and advancement to the members of the teaching profession, and no doubt this would-make definitely for efficiency.