TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1919, Page 11

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

'£200,000 MORE A YEAR. GOVERNMENT APPROVES PROPOSED INCREASES. A statement as to the effects of recent legislation in respeet to teachers' salaries was made by the Prime Minister on Friday. The proposals of the Education Department for increases to teachers' salaries have now Vjeen approved by the Government, said Mr. Massey. The scales of salaries previously in force have not been altered, but provision is made whereby each certificated teacher will receive an increase based on his position in the Dominion grading list in accordance with a specified schedule. Uncertificated and licensed teachers will receive the former scale of salaries, without the deductions previously imposed for the absence of a certificate, together with an addition of £lO i/i the case of licensed teachers. Other increases are provided in particular instances, the main one being the payment of an additional £lO per annum to all teachers in schools of Grade I. to IH.B. Pupil teachers will be paid as follows: —Third Grade, £65 per annum; Second Grade, £75 per annum; First Grade, £Sf> per annum. Probationers will be paid £OS per annum for the first year and £75 per annum for the second year. Training college students receive annual increases of £2O. Pupil teachers, probationers, and training college students will receive in addition to the above rates £25 per annum, if obliged to live away from home. The increases, which amount in the aggregate to £200,000 per annum, are to date from April 1 last. The arrears will be paid as soon as possible, but as a large amount of clerical work is involved, payment will not be made probably until the first week in December. An important provision is one relating to relieving teachers, who will be paid fixed salaries, when employed in the future, and will receive other benefits to which they were not previously entitled. New regulations for leave of absence will be issued providing a more liberal scale of sick pay. Organising teachers will be paid house allowances of £SO per annum. The increases above referred to, together witli the increases received on January last, aggregate in the majority of cases amounts varying from £4O to £6O, and in many eases from £65 to £SO.

Provision is also made for slightly increased staffing of the larger schools, and for the appointment of a larger uumber of probationers. The regulations authorising the payments will be gazetted in about ten days or a fortnight's time, and will then be distributed to those interested. N.Z.E.J. COMMENT. On behalf of ihi executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute the followjng comment was made last night: —One important new feature is an attempt to solve the difficult problem of the temporary and relieving teacher. A system of grading has been devised which will assure to (luse a definite status and salary, and will also secure equality of treatment in the different education districts. Sick-leave and sick-pay have also been put on a definite basis. Minor alterations are made in the regulations relating to the grading and staffing of schools, and in regard to training colleges. The payment of removal expenses of teachers when such removal is ordered by the board is also provided for; but in this respect teachers have still to complain that they are not treated in anything like so fair a way as the Public Service.

Occasion has been taken to give acknowledgment to the principal of payment according to merit. The present schedule of salaries remains, except that the minimum salary for the lowest grade of assistant teacher is raised to £l3O. Every teacher will receive an increment of not less than £lO, and as much more as is warranted by his grading marks viewed in relation to those of other teachers of similar standing. In effect, it will probably appear that the general average of increment will be from £25 to £4O a year, It is not too much to suppose that the application of this principle to payment will be followed by its application to appointments and promotions,