SCARCITY OF TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1920, Page 4

SCARCITY OF TEACHERS.

THE POSITION IN TARANAKI. OTHER OCCUPATIONS PREFERRED. A shortage of teachers in New Zealand is adding to the difficulties of the education authorities, and the position in Taranaki is similar to that in other parts of the Dominion. Speaking to a Daily News representative yesterday, Mr. P. S. Whitcombe, secretary of the Taranaki Education Board, said there was at present a scarcity oi qualified teachers in Taranaki, and the position was more acute than it has ever been. The principal reason for the shortage, he suggested, was that a large number of male teachers had gone to the war, many of whom were either killed or permanently disabled, while others returned with a. taste for outdoor work, and had deserted the profession for outdoor occupations, Another factor cont'-'biiting to the shortage was the lafgc number of marriages which were taking place among lady teachers. "In fact," added Mr. Whit- , combe, "there has been an epidemic of marriages." Mr. Wliitcombe remarked that the profession had not been made sufficiently attractive for intending pupil teachers, and in a great number of cases many young people, who would have become teachers, had been attracted to other kinds of employment by the inducement of larger salaries. Unless the number of pupil teachers was increased there would be most assuredly a greater scarcity of qualified teachers in years to come. In consequence of school classes being made smaller nowadays, a greater number of qualified teachers was required than formerly. Only one extra teacher—and that one a junior—was available in Taranaki at the present time. DISCUSSION IN'PARLIAMENT. I OVERCROWDING OF SCHOOLS. BETTER PAY ADVOCATED. ' (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. ' The overcrowding of State schools and the compulsion imposed on school- teachers in consequence to teach very large classes of children, wa3 mentioned in the Houes of Representatives to-day by the member for Palmerston {Mr. Nash). He asked the Minister of Education whether he proposed to take any steps to remove the hardship at present imposed on teachers in the primary schools in having to undertake the con-' trol of euch large classes, The Minister (the Hon, C. J. Parr) said that ever since he had taken up office.as Minister of Education no question had given him more anxiety or concern than this very question. The cure for the existing state of things was to obtain more teachers, and at the present time the Department was considering the question of making strenuous endeavors at least to secure double the average number of entrants to the teaching profession next year. It was intended that an appeal should be made to the training colleges and the secondary schools for more men to come forward as probationary teachers. In this way the Department hoped to secure by next new year such a supply of teachers with some training as would enable them to reduce the size of classes and 'some of the overcrowding in the schools. Mr. Nash asked the Minister Whether he proposed to oiler to these teachers a reasonably, and adequate salary. Mr. Pari- said that already entrants to the profession were sufficiently paid. The trouble was that there were no rewards afterwards. The question of a reasonable salary for these probationary teachers, as for the whole teaching profession, was at present before Cabinet.