TOO MANY SCHOOL STAFF CHANGES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 42, 13 November 1940, Page 6

TOO MANY SCHOOL STAFF CHANGES

Figures submitted in a letter, published yesterday, from the Khandallah Parent-Teacher Association to the Minister of Education, Mr. Mason, suggest that no satisfactory progress has been made with the standing problem of too frequent changes in school staffs. It is true that regulations were made providing that a teachei should remain in one appointment for at least a period inclusive of two Decembers —in other words, that there could be no change foi a full school vear—but it would appear from statements made at the meeting of the Wellington School Committees and Educational Federation which discussed the matter that this provision has not been strictly adhered to. The position in the city probably is not as bad as in some of the provincial and rural schools. Cases could be mentioned where children could not remember the teachers they had had over a period of only two years. Broadly speaking, the key to the solution of the problem is an alteration in the system of promotions in the service which will render it less necessary for teachers to seek frequent transfers in order to improve their grading and financial status. As things aie at present a teacher preferring to remain for a lengthy period iu one appointment, especially in the country, in order to study the results of his efforts and impress his personal influence upon the children —and many would like to do this —runs some risk of dropping behind in the grading list, to the prejudice of future promotion. The paramount consideration, however, is the educational welfare of the children, our future citizens; so far as the evidence goes, this would appear to be. seriously disadvantaged by a condition of things which cl'earlv calls lor remedy.