ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
Teachers in the elementary schools receive good salaries, have short hours of work, and are comparatively in an independent position; but I have no doubt many ladies would find the class of children they would be required to teach a great trial to them, as the habits and ideas of children of the lower classes would, in all probability, prove a considerable shock to the sensibilities of ladies who came in contact with them for the first time. The elementary schools employ an immense number of teachers. In the schools under the School Board alone 2,500 certificated female teachers are employed, besides a large number of pupil-teachers. The teachers under the School Board all receive good salaries, but as the whole scheme of payment is now under revision, it is impossible to give exact figures. Pupil-teachers begin at 4s. a week. There are seven weeks' holiday in the year; the hours of work are from 9 to 12, and 2 till 4.30. The head mistress is expected to give an hour's extra instruction to the pupil-teachers.
These are the regulations for admission of teachers to all public elementary schools—that is to say, all schools in receipt of a grant from the Education Department, including National, British, Wesleyan, Roman Catholic, and Board Schools.
The recognised classes of teachers are: Certificated teachers, pupil teachers, and assistant teachers.
Teachers in order to obtain certificates must be examined, and must undergo probation by actual service in school.
The examination for certificates is open to:—(a.) Students who have resided for at least one year in training colleges under inspection; or (b.) candidates who are upwards of twenty-one years of age. (1.) Completed an engagement as pupil-teacher satisfactorily; or (2.) obtained a favourable report from an inspector; or (3.) served as assistants for at least six months in schools under certificated teachers.
Candidates who at the time of the examination are not teachers of schools to which annual grants are or may be made, must be recommended by the authorities of their college, or by the managers of the school in which they last served.
Candidates for certificates, after successfully passing their examination, must, as teachers continuously engaged in the same schools, obtain two favourable reports from an inspector, with an interval of one year between them; and if the first of these reports be not preceded by service of three months (at the least) since the examination a third report, at an interval of one year after the second report, is issued; if the second (or third) report is favourable a certificate is issued.
Teachers under probation must satisfy the conditions which require that schools be kept by certificated teachers.
Pupil-teachers must be not less than fourteen years (completed) at the date of their engagement.
They are required to pass an easy examination, and produce certificates of health and character.
At the close of their engagement pupil-teachers are perfectly free in the choice of employment. If they wish to continue in the work of education they may become assistants in elementary schools; or may be examined for admission into a training college; or may be provisionally certificated for immediate service in charge of small schools.
Assistant Teachers.—Pupil-teachers who have completed their engagements with credit, and passed their examinations satisfactorily, and candidates not having been pupil-teachers who have passed with success the examination for entrance into a training college, may serve as assistants in schools, in place of pupil-teachers, without being required to be annually examined.