STAFF SHORTAGE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 206, 16 September 1937, Page 7

STAFF SHORTAGE

a No Teachers for Country Schools ACUTE POSITION IN H.B. Shortage of staffs for country schools in Hawke's Bay and elsewhere is causing anxiety to education boards. At this morning 's meeting of the Hawke's Bay board it was reported that the position in the distriet was now acute, and would have- to be met by taking senior students from the training eolleges before the completion of their courses, "The position at present is that we have four or five positions unfilled, and we simply cannot get the staff," said "the secretary, Mr. W. L. Dunn. "The position is getting worse and worse every day.' We have drawn upon the married. women teachers to the fullost extent, but it is hard to get married women into the eountry — it is hard to get anyone to go into the country. "The position has become very acute in the past few days. We are desperately up. against it. and I know that we are not the only ones. "I communicated with the department, and no action was takcn. 1 rang them, and it now appears that something is likely to be done. They, will have to take some of the second-yea'^ students out of tho training eolleges to release tho probationary assistants for the country. "Evcn then we cannot simply tcll the probatkmers to take the country positions', as they have the right to re^ main the full 12 months where they are. It will bave to be done by persuasion, but that is the only way we can relieve the position at the present timo. ' ' The position next year will be rnuch better, bccause then there will be about 700 students couiing out of tho training eolleges, but uniess soinethiug is done immcdiately we won't be able to staff the schools," concluded Mr. Dunn. The secretary 's action in communicating with tlie department was con•lirmed.