SCARCITY OF SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2082, 17 May 1907, Page 3

SCARCITY OF SCHOOL TEACHERS.

r- .-ess Association. AUCKLAND, yesterday. The annual report of Mr. D. -Petrie, M.A., chief inspector of schools ior Auckland district, was laid on the table at the Education Board meeting yesterday. At the close, of the year there were in operation 4G3 public schools, of which 7S were halftime schools. Since tfie end of 1906 the number of schools increased by 21. The number of public schools examined was 453. In addition to the above, 23 Roman Catholic and diocesan schools were examined as well as the Parnell Orphan Home school. The proportion of pupils in standard VI. to those in the lowest classes was much less than that obtained in the public schools. Throughout the year there had been a pronounced scarcity of qualified teachers, and quite a large number of inexperienced and uncertificated persons had to bo ta'ken into the' service. This is partly duo to the opening of the Auckland Training College, which hag ’withdrawn from service for a time a considerable body of ex-pupil teachers, but it is in a larger measure due to the profession being relatively unattractive. Where the number of small schools is very great, the great mass of teachers must be inadequately paid so long as the average attendance forms to any extent the basis of payment. The [■[aim now vigorously put forward by teachers that payment should be deter mi ned mainly by teaching erajioncy, and not by the average attendance at the schools at which teachers happen to be placed, was well founded. A great modification of the existing system of classification of teachers would have to be 'made. The salaries paid to the principal assistants in charge of the night school classes seemed very inadequate, and should bo considerably raised. At present it was far from easy to secure qualified teachers for some of these schools, and there is little prospect of keeping those well qualified for the work contented with their remuneration and prospects.