BACKBLOCK SCHOOLS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1925, Page 1

BACKBLOCK SCHOOLS

BETTER PAY FOR TEACHERS. CHRISTCHURCH, March 0. Sir James Pair’s visit to South AA’csthmd led him after his arrival in Christchurch last night to speak of the education Department’s policy to improve the conditions of teachers in backblock schools, a good many of which he saw in that part of the Dominion.

He said that the capitation allowance had been increased for schools in grade O, with from one to nine children. The correspondence school now dealt with 547 children in the Dominion, some of them 100 miles .from any schools, and seme belonging to light-house-keepers. He was surprised at the progress made by children instructed by the correspondence school. The Department now was trying to bring to grade 1 schools, with from eight to thirty children, a.s high a standard of teaching as was found in schools in the centres. The only method was tu induce, young teachers to go to these hinterland schools. A .sum of £1)000 had been kept out of a grant of £50,000 for teachers' salaries, for increases in “remote allowances.” The £9OOO was allocated last week. The “remote allowance” was used partly as a crest of living grant, including cost of travelling, and partly to induce teachers to accept appointments' where the living conditions wore not attractive. Speaking generally, the allowances would lie given to sole teachers in grade 1 schools, and to a fair number in grade 2 schools, with from thirty-five to eighty children. Some assistants in grade 3 schools would benefit-. The senior inspectors, this week, had been asked to indicate schools that would come into the new grade. Probably about £3O a. year would bo the allowance to a teacher in a very remote place, in places, for iiistsincia. .like Hokia.n.ga, Kawhia, Ohara, Kara,men, South Westland, and Catlins. About £2O would be given to teachers far from centres, hut with slightly better means of communication. such as Northern Wairoa. the King Country, Cheviot and Lawrence, and £lO to certain other teachers. It must he understood that the figures were quite general and were not definite.

Already lie had noticed a c-onsidcr-nlileii, improvement in teaching in the small rural schools. The additions to the salaries should make the small hackhlook schools an attractive proposition to the young certificated teacher. The Department wished teachers to take a full part in the life of those communities. Ho was pleased with wlmt some of the committees in Westland had said about young teachers from the Christchurch Training College. Tn one case, particularly, a young teacher had induced parents to improve the school grounds by planting shrubs and in other ways, increasing the teacher’s hold on. the pupils ami on the community. It was an essential part of the educational scheme, as the school was a preparation for participation in the life of the community.