PUPIL TEACHERS AND EFFICIENCY.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 May 1918, Page 4

PUPIL TEACHERS AND EFFICIENCY.

To the Editor. Sir, —I feel it my duty to point out an error in a paragraph of Monday's issue of your paper under the heading '/Local and General," referring to the discussion on the Educational. Institute's letter by the Borough Council. A worthy councillor is reported to have stated that "three-fourths of the teachers now-a-days were pupil tea- ■ chers." On looking up the latest available statistics I find that in our Wanganui education district in December 1916 there were eigthy-three pupil teachers and probationers out of a total of about five hundred teachers, while in the Wellington Education district there were over one hundred pupil teachers and probationers out of a total of abour. seven hundred teachers; hardly "three-fourths of the teachers," but still' far to many to occupy with ability the responsible positions which head teachers are compelled to place them in because of the inadequate starring of our schools. —I am, etc., M. GOLDSBURY, Hon. Sec. Ruapehu Branch N.Z.E.I.