TEACHER’S SALARIES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 10 August 1901, Page 4

TEACHER’S SALARIES.

The Royal Commissioners’ Report Proposed Scales. The report of the Teachers’ Salaries Commission was laid before Parliament on Thursday afternoon, August Ist, 1901. The report which is of considerable length, states that discontent exists among (lie great majority of teachers, but whether the adoption of a colonial scale of staff and salaries will completely remove this feeling remains to he seen. The Commission holds that transfers from the General Account to the Building Fund are unjustifiable, and should be discontinued. In making provision for the fund for purposes other than the payment of teachers’ salaries, the Commissioners have adopted the suggestion of the Inspector-General, by which £250 is allowed to each Board with a capitation of 11s 3d on the total average attendance of the schools of the district. The sum required will be £6G,108, which will leave £384,882 on which to base the construction of a scale of staff and salaries. Two schemes have been prepared, scale 1 and scale 2, the difference between them being that in the second there is an increase in the amount proposed as salaries in schools with an average attendance of more than 20. The Commission strongly recommends the adoption of scale 2, which would necessitate raising the capitation to £4 2s 6d. By this means the allowance to the Boards could be increased to a capitation

of 12s, with an addition of £250 to each district with an average attendance not s exceeding 8000. _ _ c It w T as agreed by the Commission that j t women in many instances do not receive 1 1 payment commensurate with the work ] they perform. Members of the Commis- ; i sion, though divided on the question of ; r granting equal pay to men and women, ( unite in thinking that under existing cir- 1 cumstanees the principle cannot be fully 1 applied. It has, however, been adopted as far as relates to all schools with an . average attendance not exceeding 30, 1 and above this number the salaries of | women teachers have been raised to ap- !' proximate more closely to those paid to i male teachers in similar positions. _ The aim has been to provide salaries likely to attract teachers of increased capacity and training. A new feature is now presented by the introduction into the staff j of an assistant teacher. While cither of the two scales will I benefit the largo majority of teachers j and schools, more particularly iu the smaller districts, it has been found im- . possible, especially under scale 1, to j avoid reducing a few salaries; but it is recommended that the reductions shall not take effect until the close of two years, unless in the meantime there is a change of teacher. The Commission recommends that where no residence is provided, house allowance be paid from the Building Fund on the tollowing scale;—Over 20, and not over 50 average attendance, £23; over 50, and not over 150, £3O; over 150, and not over 250, £35; over 350, and not over 420, £4O; over 420, £SO,

While not prepared to adopt a general system of deductions for deficiencies in certificates, the Commission recommends that the salaries of uncertificated head teachers and assistants be reduced 10 per cent, provided such salaries do not in consequence fall below £BO a year. They think the present scheme of certificates is unduly complicated, and shpuld be simplified by a reduction in the number of clauses and divisions. The Commissioners state that they are in accord with a number of witnesses who consider that the least satisfactory part of primary education in New Zealand is the pupil-teacher system. The scales submitted show a reduction in the number of pupil-teachers from 962 to 681, which reduction can he effected gradually as opportunity occurs. The payment i proposed is equal to the highest now | allowed by any board, and the duty of | giving instruction to pupil-teachers has j been allotted to the head teachers and | assistants without special remuneration. They think, further, that the qualifications required for entrance should be greater than a mere pass in the highest standard of the primary course; that the age of candidates should be raised; that, if possible, the period of apprenticeship should bo shortened, and that a uniform system of examination should he instituted. Training schools, they urge, should confine themselves to the preparation of students in the art of teaching and such like matters, and what are really required are technical schools for teachers. These should be established in each of the chief centres by removing the pupil-

teachers from the staff ef ah ordinWJr primary school, and substituting »• CCP* Hardly any sacrifice, ii*tOO great for the colony to make on behalf of the sound training of itskyottag, teachers. Finally they report (1) That scale No I comes within,a £1 capitation, . (2) That scale No 2 estimated- on a £4 2s 6d capitation, fulfi’s conditions that will in our opinion greatly Kehefit primary education. Therefore wo strongly recoup mend its adoption. (3) That the scale come into operation on the Ist day of January, 1902. (4) That two years be allowed for ad« justment of salaries in certain cases. (5) That a modification in the system, of the certificates of teachers be adopted(6) That the pupil teacher system bo amended. (7) That training schools for teacher®! be established, and that, pending thaintroduction of a general Bcheme r esistiag: institutions receive special consideration. The Commissioners acknowledge in the warmest manner the invaluable informs* tion, counsel, and help supplied by the 1 Secretary for Education, and the officers 1 of his department; the assistance freely accorded by the Chairmen and officers or I the several Education Boards j v the evi* E dence furnished by representatives of the i branches of the New Zealand* ■ Educational Institute and by other wit* . nesses; and the ability and untiring de« : votion of the Secretary to the Commis* • sion, Mr A. J. Marton. B.A.