HELP FOR TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 285, 26 August 1921, Page 4

HELP FOR TEACHERS

EDUCATIONAL GAZETTE TO BiS ISSUED MINISTER ADMITS DEFECTIVE TEACHING An innovation of some importance was announced by the Minister of Education yesterday. His Department is about to begin the issue of a monthly Educational Gazette, and this publication will bo used to convoy instructions and suggestions to teachers as well as to advertise vacancies in the school staffs. "Tho legislation of lajt year adopted the principle of the appointment and promotion of teachers on a Dominion basis,” said the Minister. "The barriers erected at the boundaries of education districts by some boards against teachers from other districts wer? bYoken down. My own idea, and the idea of Parliament, was that every teacher, no matter where located, should have the opportunities of promotion that Ins am ities and experience fit him for. Ine publication of an Educational Gazette, now authorised by Cabinet, is the corollary io that legislation. Tho news of every vacancy will reach all the teachers, some 4000 in number. The present practice is for boards to advertise vacancies in tbs' local newspapers, but the advertisementy'do not reach teachers in other districts. ? "The Gazette will be used as a vehicle for the imparting of information, advice and instructions to. inspectors and teachers. The lack of such a channel of communication has been a serious embarrassment to tho Department in the past lam satisfied that in many schools in this country the teaching of elementary subjects lacks accuracy, exactness, and 1 horoughness. I refer particularly lo subjects such as arithmetic, writing, and history. Deficiencies in these respects'must be corrected without delay. The Gazette will enable the Director of Education and the Chief Inspector to advise and admonish where necessary. It will contain reports and extracts relatin’- to education in other countries and advances in educational practices. The Minister mentioned that while Cabinet was strongly averse to incurring any new expentf’tt.re at the present time, he hnd lieen able to show his colleagues that savings in other directions would more than cover the cost of the Ga- ? zette.