TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 298, 10 September 1920, Page 10

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

SALARIES OF DIRECTORS

Tha annual conference of directors nnd supervisors, and representatives of boards of managers of technical schools continued its sittings yesterday, Mr. H\. Scott (Dunedin) presiding. II: was decided to urge that directors salaries be fixed at the rate for principals of secondary schools, and that an addition be made to compensate for the evening work involved. It wns decided that, notwithstanding anything in the manual and technical regulations to the contrary, n student should not be deprived of the possibility of five years' free education solely on account of his age at the time of entering on a iunior free place, or the typo of 6chool flt which he gained such fren place. Tho conference resolved to urge that in connection with evening classes, all time worked by teachers be assessed at tho rate of time and a half. Constitution of Boards. The constitution of technical school boards of managers was dealt with by the conference. It wn.9 resolved: "That where boards of malingers have already been constituted and appointed under the provisions of tho Act to a technical school, this conference presses on tho Government the desirability of placing the full administration of the technical school, subject only to the Education Department, in the hands of the boards." Mr. J. H. Howell (Wellington) moved: "That, pending any ffitlo reorganisation of our system of edacationnl administration it i& the opinion of this conference that the adnmistration of every technical school, where there is an organised day school, should be placed in ehargo of a board specially appointed for that purpose."—Carried. It was decided to urge the Government to pay (reasonable out-of-pocket exu'enses of members of the boards; that the term of service on boards of management should be three years, one-third of the members to retire each year, but to bo eligible for reflection; and that adeqhate representation of sdcli. Iroards be given on the Council of Education.

Grading of Teachers. Tho conference, on the recommendation of the Directors' and Supervisors' Committee. resolved: "(1) That the conference strongly ur»«? that a grading scheme nnd 6cnlo of "salaries, dating from April 1, 1920, should be adopted for all-full-time technical school teachers and manual training 'instructors. "(2) That, in the opinion of this conference, the grading of technical school teachers' may be most satisfactorily carried out on tho principle outlined by Mr. La Trobe: namely, that due allowance he mad a for (1) teaching ability; (y academic and trade, or profession attainments; (3) training college experience: (•(■) length of teaching experience., "(3) That this committee gives a general approval to the division of teachers m technical. schools into grades, carryin" salaries as mentioned in Mr. Uesswcil'b schemo for secondary school teach-

*(4> That technical school teachers should be expected to give,.in teaching and school supervision, service of up to thirty hours per week for forty weeks per year, but thnt not more than twentynix hours per week on the year's nvernire should he actual teaching time. It is not. however, intended. to imply that preparation and correction of work and carc of equipment should be included in tins time. , , , , . , "(5) Owing .to the nature of technical school work the staffing of such schools should be framed more libera Iy than for secondary or primary schools; further, that in practical classes, there should not on tlle ftvcl ' a S e more tllan twenty punils per teacher. !'(6) (a) That the Education Dcpaitinent should nptain be pressed to. provide Dominion examinations in special subjects for students of technical schools, in lien of examinations conducted by Lw?lish educational bodies, (b) Lhat tho Minister of Hnilways be approachfd . if possible by a deputation with the object of securing the following concessions for boys who have attended technical schools for a reasonable time, and who wish to become railway apprentices: (t) E.aising tho age limit 011 entrance above sixteen vears " (21 Preference 111 filling vacancies (31 Induction of the period of apprenticeship, after the manner adopted by the Marine Department.

Other Decisions. Other resolutions passed by tho conference were:— , , "That the maximum of 400 hours attendance at technical classes should be raised so that such students may earn the same capitation as students in similar courses in technical high schools. "That the regulations, include payments for cost of conveyance to* manual training centrcs in one direction jvlien tho othci journey is made, by vail. "That the system whereby small technical schools havo to partly depend for financial support on donations, and the subsidies thereon is .unsatisfactory. "That the Department be asked to continued to make up the loss of capitation due to tho closing of technical schools bv order of the Health Department. "That the Department bo urged to supply stationery and school requisites at cost price to Jill schools, and that tho School Journal bo suppled free o£ cost to technical schools."