UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 42, 30 May 1910, Page 3

UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln Thursday's issue of your paper, I see that the Education Board has decided, and rightly so, to call on all uncertificated teachers to qualify for classification. At the same time, I think that the Board, in demanding that they qualify by next January, is somewhat hard on these teachers. Mr. Morton, in spealking to his motion, said that a reminder (to qualification for classification) given now) "would give them every opportunity of preparing themselves for the examination." They have "only" twelve subjects to pass m, some of them, as "Methods of Teaching," being of vital importance to them in their professional work. And yet, despite all the present-day outcry about "cram," "ill-digested knowledge," etc., the members of the Board would have these uncertificated teachers, some of whom are possessed of no more than a Sixth Standard "Certificate of Proficiency," qualify in seven months, or "march," to use your own term. Manifestly, the Board is asking impossibilities. No ordinary teacher can attempt to do his daily work and "cram" at such a rate without s«nous detriment to teacher and pupil alike. Therefore, I think the Board ought to refer the extreme action of dismissal until the 1912 examination, at least, thus giving all candidates a reasonable chance to prepare. Again, the Board would greatly aid these teachers ii they requested the Education Department to allow the "D" certificate to be taken in two or even three sections, as in the case of the "C" certificate. This, too, would tend to do away with "cram" by enabling preparation to be more thorough.—l am, etc.,

UNCERIFIOATED TEACHER.