E.—6

8

Salaries and Status of Secondary Teachers. (Table K4.) The total annual amount of salaries (including war bonus when paid) of teachers in secondary schools as at the rate payable in December, 1917, was £97,923, to which sum should be added the value of board and residence, when provided by the Boards for teachers, amounting in 1917 to £1,536, thus making a total of £99,459. This figure exceeds the corresponding amount for the previous year by £8,626. Including the value of board and residence the annual value of salaries averages £13-3 per head of the average attendance, ranging in individual schools from £9-8 to £22-86, or, excluding Wanganui Collegiate and Christ's College Grammar Schools, from £9-8 to £18-57. In twenty out of thirty-four schools the range is from £9-8 to £13-88. Comparing the salaries of full-time teachers in boys' and girls' schools in cases where the controlling authorities have separate schools and staffs for boys and girls, it appears that in the boys' schools the salaries per head of average attendance average £13-1, the corresponding figure in the girls' schools being £11-2. Full particulars relating to individual schools may be found in Table K4. Salaries or allowances paid to teachers on active service have not been included in the figures. t By the provisions of the Education Act, 1914, certain minimum salaries and minimum average salaries are payable to secondary-school teachers. The following figures indicate the average rates prevailing in 1916 and 1917 : — Average Salaries of Full-time Teachers in Secondary Schools. , 191 (1. , , 1917. , M. F. All. M. F. All. £ £ £ £ £ £ Principals .. ..593 431 539 603 428 541 Assistants .. ..266 186 228 284 193 237 Whole staff .. .. 306 204 260 325 210 267 In the secondary departments of district high schools salaries arc uniform, in accordance with the schedule to the Act. The average salaries actually paid to secondary assistants, exclusive of the sums paid to head teachers by way of extra salary, were, in December, 1916 and 1917, as follows :— 1916. 1917. £ £ Male assistants .. .. .. • • • ■ .. 250 257 Female assistants .. .. .. .. • • .. 208 206 All seoondary assistants . . .. .. • • ■ • 220 218 The seale of salaries is the same lor men and women. The total annual rate of salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments of district high schools, including the special payments to head teachers, was £22,975, as against £22,957 for 1916. The amount paid as a war bonus is not included. The problem of the training of secondary-school teachers is one that still awaits complete solution. University graduates may attend teachers' training colleges for one year to acquire training and experience in the art of teaching, but up to the present the number availing themselves of this opportunity has been small. Controlling authorities were circularized during the year and urged to secure, as far as possible, trained teachers for the junior forms, the pupils of which are at a difficult and critical stage of their education. Replies were to the effect that efforts are made to secure the services of trained teachers, but the opinion was expressed that the training afforded at the training colleges was not altogether suitable for secondary-school teachers, and the necessity for some special provision for their training was dwelt upon. The Department concurs in this view and recognizes that more ample provision for the training of secondary-school teachers will require to be made. The following table shows the University examination status of teachers in secondary schools and in|the secondary departments of district high schools. It is clear "that with respect to the academic status of secondary-schools teachers there is no complaint to be made. The percentage of assistants neither having