PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1944, Page 4

PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

STAFF RECLASSIFICATION "What is required now if rehabilitation is not to bacorns a Izvce is a complete reclassification of "the primary school service.", says the secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute/ Mr. G. R. Ashbridge, in a report in "National Education." "There, is evidence of a great deal r." dissatisfaction I among members over lack of promotion and conditions generally in the service. "If a sufficient number of suitable recruits is to be attracted to the teaching profession to enable educational reconstruction to be carried out effectively and efficiently, there must be a considerably increase in salaries and improvements in the conditions of service. No doubt there is room for debate on what might be considered to be a just and equitable interpretation of the word 'considerable,' but there must be a reasonable standard of life for recruits for the profession. "As it is not the policy of the institute to advocate compulsory retirement, the executive^ should try to induce the Government, *as part of the rehabilitation plan for soldier teachers, to fix up the anomalies in the Superannuation Fund so that teachers can retire. Some would retire now if their lost rights were, restored to them. A gentle hint should be given by the education boards to others who have reached the .retiring age and have full service for superannuation that it is time they moved on. In the Public Service retirement is compulsory at the age of 60, and wholesale retirements are .contemplated as part of the rehabilitation plan. After 40 years' service, should not teachers also retire when reaching age 60? "The housing situation is Gilbertian. Promotion is being refused because there are no houses. In Matamata recently Mr. Barnett and I were told at a public meeting that it was not the policy of the Government to differentiate on behalf of teachers. Schools without teachers! It is high time the Government faced up to this responsibility towards its servants. In consolidated areas houses are absolutely necessary for assistants as well. "Doubtless there will be an extension of the intermediate school movement with a consequent loss of promotion to primary teachers in contributing schools. In Auckland there is a school housing 1000 pupils, but I understand that there will be two headmasters. There are too many schools of more than 500, and if they were reduced in size there would be some hope for teachers to rise out of the despair into which they are falling."