PROBATIONARY AND SUBSTITUTED TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 11

PROBATIONARY AND SUBSTITUTED TEACHERS

Sir, —In reply to my letter you kindly published to-day, the Education Department reply that the conditions I quote are exceptional, and my information incorrect. Would it not be more, satisfactory if the Department stated which conditions were exceptional, and which statements of mine were incorrect? They ronfirm my statement that formerly students were two years as pupil teachers before taking the two years at Training College. Will they deny my statement that they were not given solo charge of classes? They may bring in new names for them, but will they contradict the fact that probationary assistants, etc., are young people who have not had four complete years' training as teachers, and that they are given sole charge of classes? Of course, the student in Training College to-day gets some practical teaching as" part of his training, and so did the student when lie had served two rears as pupil teacher. Ido not know’ almos. everyone” who approves the new system,'’ but I know quite a number who are keenly interested in educational administration, who know that the school child is not getting a fair chance, and may I say that I have absolute confidence in my sources of information. —I am, etc., L. HENNESSEY. Chairman Te Aro School Committee. Wellington, February 20. Sir,—ln reply to Mr. Hennessey, the Education Department states that his letter is based upon information that is quite incorrect. As headmaster of the school concerned, I have to state that Mr. | Hennessey came to me and put various . questions concerning recent changes of staff, to which I replied after looking up mv log-book. The changes of staff were correctly stated by Mr. Hennessey, and in each case a probationary or substituted assistant took the place, not of a pupil-teacher, but of a permanent assist, ant. Might I state further that three years ago a clause was added to the Education Act compelling teachers to remain in their positions for at least two years. Almost immediately following that, the Department, by regulation, decided that permanent assistants on the staffs of the larger schools be replaced by probationary or substituted assistants for a period of twelve months at the most, thus destroying the stability of the staffs, ■which the Act has been framed to secure. Tn the case of Te Aro, two permanent assistants, who obtained promotion-by going tp other schools, were replaced by probationary assistants, and a third, who had been marked as a permanent assistant for years on the pay-sheet, now became classified as a substituted assist anti The above are actual facts, as they have occurred at this school, and I have no hesitation in stating that under such conditions the children are not receiving the chance to which they are entitled. — I am, etc.. A. McKENZIE, Headmaster, Te Aro School. Wellington, February 20.