15

H.—2

class depended on examination, or other evidence of attainments in learning, and the grade upon practical skill in teaching and school management; in others, both kinds of qualification Avere considered in determining the class, or the grade, or both. In others, again, the second class Avas distinguished from the third by attainments, but the first from the second by seniority, while the grades in the first and second alike denoted differences of attainment. The greatest number of ranks in any one of these systems is nine, and this number has been adopted in the new scheme. Of the different methods above described, that has been folloAved which denotes one kind of qualification by the class, and another kind by the grade. The outline of the plan is given in the folloAving regulations :— 1. There shall be five classes of certificates, distinguished (from the highest to the loAvest) by the letters A, B, C, D, E. 2. In each class there shall be five divisions, distinguished (from the highest to the lowest) by the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 3. The class for AA rhich a certificate is granted shall depend upon attainments in learning as proved by examination; the division in the class, upon experience and practical skill in the art of teaching and of school management. 4. The relative values of certificates shall depend in equal degree upon attainments in learning and upon practical skill, as indicated in the subjoined scale, in which the letter and number denoting any one certificate stand opposite to the letter and number Avhich, in any other column, denote a certificate of equal value.

Scale of Compaeative Values.

Of the two kinds of qualification which are here recognized as of equal value, apparent prominence is giA ren to attainments in learning, inasmuch as by them the class is determined, and by the notation adopted the class is noted before the division. The reverse order might have been followed, the class being determined by seniority and good work, and the division by examination as to scholarship. Thus, still using numerals to denote degrees of technical proficiency, and letters to denote degrees of attainment, a table might have been constructed as Mloavs :—

A comparison of the two tables will, of course, shoAV that any expression in one of them stands in the same rank as the expression to which it is equivalent in the other ; or, Avhich is the same thing, that a teacher Avould have the same status whichever notation were adopted. As, however, the distinction which depends on examination is likely to be more permanent than that wbieh is affected by promotion according to rule, it seemed natural to denote the first by the class, and the second by the division. The relative values of the two kinds of distinction are

Al A2 A3 A4 A5 Bl B2 B3 B4 B5 CI C2 C3 C4 C5 DI D2 D3 D4 D5 lst Rank. 2nd „ 3rd „ 4th „ 5th „ Gth „ 7th „ 8th „ 9th „ El E2 E3 E4 E5

La Ib Ic Id Ie II.A II.B II.C II.D II.E III.a III.B III.c III.D I1I.E IV.A IV.B IV.c IV.D IV.E V.A V.B V.c V.D V.E 1st Eank. 2nd „ 3rd „ 4th „ 5th „ 6th „ 7th „ 8th „ 9th „