UNION WANTED

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 8 December 1930, Page 12

UNION WANTED

EDUCATION SYSTEM

VIEWS OF MINISTER

VALUE FOR MONEY

Various phases of educational problems were touched upon by a deputation representing the New Zealand Federation of Teachers which waited upon the Minister of Education (the Hon. 11. At-more) a few days ago. General agreement with the report of the Education Committee was expressed, and in his reply the Minister urged tho importance of unification of control. Tho chairman of the federation executive (Mr. F. M. Banner), after referring to the history of the federation, said that members wore in agreement with the principle of terminating primary education at the age of 11-plus and with the extension of compulsory post-primary education to the age of fifteen years. They were in agreement with the institution of intermediate education, with certain reservations. Two of tho bodies, tho Technical School Teachers' Association and the Secondary Schools' Association, considered that while this intermediate education was necessary, the ideal type was the attachment, of Forms I. and 11. and Junior Technical forms to ■ existing schools. But the general principle was conceded, and in this connection he was perfectly confident that some way out of tlie difficulty would be found when tho various organisations met. They were all heartily in accord with the principle of consolidation. With very little exception the scholarship reorganisation was approved. Matters connected with general administration were still questions that required to be thrashed out with tho general organisation. The Minister: "You mean unification of. control?" Mr. Ecnner: "The general administration difficulties that have controlled " The Minister: "I shall remain firm on that point as the ultimate solution of many difficulties.'' Mr. Benner said that while there were certain people who did not see eye to eye with the contents of the report, he was perfectly sure that as sensible men and women they would find a platform that would meet not only the wishes of the constituent bodies, but the wishes of tho Minister. TECHNICAL TEACHERS. Mr. T. L. James dealt with the question of the classification of teachers, particularly as it affected those men in the technical schools who lacked academic qualifications. He pointed out that at the present time most primary school teachers wore certificated, but there were a few technical school teachers who would bo in an unfortunate position. This applied especially to those who had come in from the industrial and commercial world to take on teaching as a profession later on in life. The proposed regulations provided quite adequately for certain classes of teachers, but they feared that certain teachers in the technical service would be somewhat handicapped through not being able to show an examination qualification entitling them to a certificate of a class higher than "D." Mr. James placed before the Minister the following motion, which had been adopted at a meeting of the federation: "That in tho certification of teachers under the proposed regulations, full weight be given to trade and professional experience and knowledge even where no examination has been passed." MINISTER'S REPLY. Tho Minister expressed tho pleasure he felt at meeting the deputation. Referring to the point made by Mr. James, he. said he strongly believed in the proposal put forward. He knew from his own experience that there were men who wore eminently qualified to give the teaching, but who could not show any certificate, and these men must be judged on the fact that they were doing the work. Mr. Benner": "How far in the future may the federation hope to obtain a status similar to the Boyal Society at Home?" The Minister: "I cannot sec any reason against the suggestion. Yours is tho greatest of all professions—it must be so, as it provides the training for all others—and I would go any distance that way which may be neees■savy." Mr. Atmore wont on to say that his contention was that there should be no secondary school without a certain amount of practical education, because no matter what sphere in life a man or woman choso he or she was the better for having such training. He wanted practical education to permeate every educational institution in the Dominion. Ho could assure them that the technical people had a very warm supporter and advocate in himself. There would bo no "smothering" of technical education so far as he was concerned. UNIFICATION OF CONTROL. He was still convinced that the proposal in the report that we should have complete unification of control was a very sound one—that the objections were not based on the consideration of the best interests of the child. He felt sure the objections would be overcome, and if necessary an appeal would be made to the parents and to the committees. As they were aware, the committees were the creators of tho boards, and in addresses he had given in different parts of tho Dominion ha had found that wherever he had had direct touch with the committees hp had received a unanimous vote of approval. So far as the parents were concerned, he could not believe that they would oppose something that certainly was in the interests of the children. He was pleased to hear Mr Benner state that they were in complete agreement with the main proposals of the report. Ho hoped they would go a little further in the matter of unification of control. He believed Mr. Benner had been a member of a deputation when Mr. H. Kidson and others had come along, and Mr. Kidson had -considered that unification of control should precede tho Federation of Teachers' organisations. It seemed to him that the trouble was simply the mental attitude. The word "federation" meant nothing unless it was complete federation of spirit and thought. He hoped they would be able to see education as a whole process. Personally he could see no difficulties. He was quite satisfied that if they had one controlling authority and one federated body of teachers, it would be very easy then to consider the progress of the child from the kindergarten to the university, where such extended education was necessary. A NATIONAL REGISTER. In regard to the proposals in the report—the national register .?nd proposed payment of the teacher instead of the position—he had gone as far as ho could to help, and he did not think he was asking too much when he sought their co-operation. Broadly speaking, the proposals in the report made for the benefit of the teacher, the child, and tho committee, and the members of the new boards would occupy a much more dignified position. Tho education boards to-day_ had no

real powers in regard to the things that counted. They had no control over appointments, as all teachers were classified according to the grading marks which were allotted by the inspector and appointments had to be made strictly in accordance with the grading list. The report proposed that there should be one teachers' register for the whole teaching staffs, and that instead of the present system of grading all teachers should be classified in throe broad groups. The committee considered that the teachers should have a voice in tho appointment of teachers, and it was proposed to sot up a National Appointments Committee, consisting of an independent chairman and representatives each of the teachers and the Department, and all appointments would be entrusted to tho committee in question. There was no doubt that tho report represented a tremendous advance. It was an attempt to benefit all' those concerned, not excepting the taxpayer who would get 20s of value for overy £1 spent, which he was not getting to-day. A great deal of the opposition was coming from the boards through a misunderstanding of the proposals.