STAFFING SCHOOLS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 77, 23 December 1937, Page 8

STAFFING SCHOOLS

Shortage of # Teachers in Dominion MR. MADDISON 'S REVIEW The shortage of teachers and staffing problems were dealt with by the chairBian of the Hawke's Bay Education Board, Mr. G. A. Maddison, in his annual report. : The shortage in the supply of teachers this year has been more aeute than at any time since the Great War years," said Mr. Maddison, "and it has been only with the greatest difficulty that the staffing of the sehools has been maintained at schedule requirements. There is an extra large number of students leaving the training colleges" this year, and this should relieve the position temporarily. "It must be noted, however, that more positions are created next year by the dec.sion of the Minister — on whieh he is to be heartily congratulated — to grade i..e sehools on 100 per cent. of the average roll number. Before the end of next year, therefore, a shortage will again be apparent, although possibly not so acute as now, and it does not appear that any great forward step can be made at present to . reduce the size of primary sehool classes. In any case, a heavy building programme will have to be undertaken before that can be done in order to prcvide accommodation for the larger staffs. "There have been the usual complaints of course, in regard to frequent changes on staff," he continued. "The problem, is, however, a most difficult one, and although various proposals have been put forward from time to time to minimise these changes, it is apparent that some of them, if adopted, 'would only create grea'ter difficulties. There are certain factors which cannot be overlooked: — (1) There is a wastage of teaching supply, due to retirements and marriage, whieh has been stated .to be approximately 500 per annum over the whole of New Zealand. (2) Many of the temporary changes are due to the absences of teachers on siek leave. There is no means of overcoming this and perusal of our sick leave schedules from month to month will indicate that sick leave is responsible for a large number of relieving appointments each year. (3) About half our teachers are employed in country districts. If a rigid stabilisation of town sehool staffs was effected, there would be a similar stabilisation in country sehools. The question then arises whether it would not be detrimental to the country sehools if our younger teachers, the majority of whom are employed in the country, were to be isolated for long periods from experieuce under a head teaeher, and from direct contact with the more experienced teachers in the profession. There are many who hold the view that it would be detrimental. "There are many other factors too which must be considered," concluded Mr. Maddison, "but it will be apparent that ther problem is not so easy of solution as at first glance it might appear to be. The whole question is bound up also with that of salaries and grading of teachers, and is one of the matters which the Minister now has under consideration in connection with the reorganisation of our education system. A special committee, comprising three representatives each from the department, the education boards, and the New Zealand Educational Institute has been investfgating these problems during the year.