COMPETITION WANTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 18, 12 April 1927, Page 4

COMPETITION WANTED

AMONG SCHOOL TEACHERS DR. NORTHCROFT'S OPINION Competition among aspirants to the teaching profession was advocated by Dr. Hilda Northcroft last evening. “At present they have no competition to face; they sit down and wait until a position is found for them,” she said. “They do not value the training they have received. That is the reason why there .are so many misfits in the profession.” Dr. Northcroft criticised the system of paying school teachers while they were receiving their training, stating they were practically being bribed to enter the profession. In the medical profession where the need was equally great, students had to find their own training, and then when qualified they had to go out on their own and make their way for themselves. Thus through competition the best men were obtained for the profession. There were many who did not want to be teachers but were simply seeking a clean collar profession. An improvement in the system would do away with long discussions about the.caning of children in schools and the question of unemployed teachers.

-Speaking of secondary education. Dr. Northcroft said it was made so easy for children to attend secondary schools that many went there with no intention of continuing their education. Apparently they went for a term or two so as to be able to say they had attended a secondary school, but this cost the country a great deal of money without producing an adequate return. In England children who were awarded scholarships were required to undertake to continue their attendnce at a school for a definite number of years.