SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL TEACHERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10286, 22 May 1919, Page 8

SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL TEACHERS

■ A public meeting of the residents of the Teita district (lower Hutt) was held on Tuesday evening in the schoolroom to consider the present unsatisfactory position in regard to the teaching staff. Mr A. Burges*, chairman of the -sqhool committee, presided. It was pointed out that tho school _ has suffered severely for the last eighteen months on account of change of teachers. Last year, on several occasions, tho school (which has an average , attendance of about 120 scholars! was without the services of one of tdie assistant teachers. At th© present time, ■ though the infant mistress sent in her resignation on February 24th; and actually vacated her position at tho end of April, no substitute has boon supplied by the Education Board. A new teacher has been appointed, but will not bo able to take up her duties till July Ist, the consequence being that the head teacher (Mr Phillip) has to teach six classes in two rooms,, which means ho oan neither do justice to himself nor to the children. The chairman explained that the Education Board had done all in _ its power to find a teacher, but without success.

It was, finally resolved that a deputation consisting of the chairman, Mr Burgess, and Mr MjoArthur. wait on tho School Committees’ Association with the object of forming a deputation to wait on the Minister for Education and urge on the Government the necessity of offering greater inducements to young., people to enter tho teaching profession ns being tho only method of dealing with the crisis that has arisen owing to the lack of certificated teachers.