YOUNG TEACHERS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1929, Page 3

YOUNG TEACHERS

OVER-SUPPLY IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, April 5. With an ever-increasing number of young teachers becoming out of permanent employment, tlie Auckland Education Board finds itself facing n pro Jem which members fear will assume alarming proportions. The Board discussed the position with the Minister for Education recently, and when the matter was raised at the*' meeting <J Liu* Board to-:lay, a proposition was put forward which, if adopted, would result in tin* employment of JO more Leachcrs.

Figures supplied by the secretary showed that of those students who left the training college hi 192 b, a total of II were still not permanently employed. Of tin* 1920 output d() were unplaced, and lid of the 1027 number couli! not obtain positions. All students who left tlie college at the end of Inst year had been given work for one venr.

Mr Wells said that during the past two weeks lie bail bad more than one painful interview with ex-college students, who bad nut been pernianentiy placed. Auckland’s position ns tin? “promised land” fur southern teachers probably affected the* position. Times being less prosperous, fewer teachers left tlie service to get. married. He considered the number of entrants to the service should be limited until'the surplus was absorbed, while tlie position might be relieved by bringing into college for a “refresher,” course a number of .students who bad spent one year there only. Supernumerary teachers might also he added to staffs. The secretary said the jxisition seemed worse than last yem.

Mr J.'Boddle described the position as appalling. He deplored the Board’s, lack of power to give preference to AiK'klaml trainees.

Mr H. S, W. King said some drastic action was necessary. A fetish was made of inatriculatcm, and many of those who obtained it thought 'they must become 'teachers. Unless the number entering the training college was to close the college altogether for u time.

Mr R. Hoc* said it would be possible to relieve the surplus at the point between the one-teacher and two-teacher school. If the average number for the two-teacher school were reduced from 35 to 30, the Board would lie able to employ about JO more teachers. A school with a. roll of about 31 was the most difficult of all to teach.

Tt was decided to pace the position again before tlie Minister and to draw special attention to the proposal to appoint an extra teacher at certain ono-teacher schools.