UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1921, Page 6

UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION

OPENED AT STRATFORD.

A winter school of instruction for uncertificated teachers in the Taranaki Education district was opened at Stratford yesterday under the direction of Mr. Valentine, chief inspector for the Education Board. The school is being held in the technical school buildings and about seventy teachers are attend*

ing. During the morning the Mayor oi Stratford (Mr. J. \V. McMillan) and Mr* R. Masters, M.P., visited the school and addressed those present. The Mayor extended a welcome to the teachers on behalf of the people of Stratford and expressed the hope that in addition to the educational benefit they would have good weather and en« joy their stay in the town. Mr. Masters said he hoped the school would be the forerunner of many siml-* lar schools in the future. At the ing of the foundation stone of . tho Technical School he had expressed tW opinion that the day would come when Stratford would be the educational centre of Taranaki and the holding of the school was the first step in that direction. He was glad to see so mhny] teachers present because it showed their desire to improve themselves, and the attendance must therefore be very gratifying to the director, Mr. Valen* tine. It was important that should be certificated, and it was regrets table that so many were not. He

knew the uncertificated teachers were doing good work at present and that but for them the educational system would have been much impaired during the war, but if a teacher was good uncertificated then they would be much better when certificated. The policy of the Education Board was to closely watch uncertificated teachers, and jposi« tions would be giyen to those teachers who were found best qualified. Salaries had been raised and the increase! * pay would attract the brighter bpys and girls to the profession, as a result of which the less qualified teacher would have to give way to the more qualified. Teachers had a grave responsibility, as the children depended on them for their knowledge and the children could only learn as much as the teacher knew. The board, Mr. Valentine and all concerned were keenly interested in seeing thati the teachers attending the school had every opportunity of improving themselves. He believed the teachers fully recognised their grave responsibilities. During the present yeai the State would spend three millions on ’education and entitled to receive the very best services possible for the money paid. The State now provided teachers with every facility for improving themselves, and at that school there were instructors who were keenly interested in their work. Correspondence schools were provided for those living far from centres, and those living near centre!were able to attend the Saturday schools. If teachers desired to improve themselves they were provided with every opportunity in that direction. When he stood for the Education Board Mr. Tyrer (headmaster of the Stratford school), who asked him to stand, said: “If ever you are in doubt about how to act on any question or how to vote, first of all see how it affects the child. Vote for the child every time and you can’t go far wtong.” He had followed that advice and would like to see teachers applying it right through the He did not suggest that Taranaki teachers had not done good work. They had. The percentage of proficiency certificates could be taken as a test of th< standard of education, and on that basis the standard of education in Taranaki was shown to be exceedingly high. Otago came first with a percentage of 76.7 of proficiencj’ passes and Taranaki second with 74.9. The standard was high but he wanted to see right at the top of the tree. He believed it could be done, and on those present rested the responsibility of doing it. Mr. Masters concluded by expressing the hope that all present would soon have a B certificate. Mr. Valentine expressed his thanks to the Mayor and Mr. Masters for their remarks, which he believed would be a stimulus to the teachers to do their best.