“A THOUSAND HOURS.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4678, 24 March 1924, Page 1

“A THOUSAND HOURS.”

TEACHERS’ PROTEST. e ' At the annual meeting of the Wellington Teachers’ Institute, some very strong, comments were made on a I’o mark stated to have been made by the Director of Education that the teachers’ year covered one thousand hours of official duty. It was pointed out tliat teachers considered all their school work official duty, such as tlie correction of pupils’ work, duty in the playground, preparing schemes of work, attending at schools a quarter of tin hour before they open, and other things for the benefit of scholars.

One leading headmaster stated that "not only in Wellington, but throughout the Dominion, there had risen a feeling of deep resentment at tne treatment of the interests of teachers by 1 the Education Department of late. Indeed; if the attitude of the Department was continued the general body of teacher,s would show in no unmistakeabie manner that it was' time something was done to resent what they had to tolerate at present.” it was eventually decided, “That until the Director of Education publicly corrects the- impression conveyed by his statement that the teachers' year covers one thousand hours of official duty, the teachers of the Dominion be called upon to adhere strictly to the letter of the duties so laid down, thus eliminating the many hours of voluntary service,, hitherlo ungrudgingly given, the continuation of which sacrifice the teachers feel, in view of the recent attitude of '■.he Department, to be inconsistent with their dignity as a profession.”