E.—6

8

perquisites. The average salary of assistants would also be affected, although to a less extent, if the value of board and residence were included. The substantial increase in the average salaries for 191!) over those for li> 1S is the result of the application of the Department's regulations prescribing minimum average salaries in each, school of £320 and £250 for qualified men and women assistants respectively, and also prescribing fixed minimum salaries for the Principals and first assistants of schools of various grades. Since 1914 the average salary of male Principals has increased by £123, or 23-5 per cent., and the average salary of women Principals by £112, or 28-3 per cent. The average salary of male assistants has increased by £84, or 33*8 per cent., since 1914 ; of female assistants by £89, or 54-6 per cent.; and of both combined by £79, or 37-5 per cent. The regulations referred to apply only to teachers who are graduates or hold a teacher's certificate, and the average salaries of such assistants are higher than those quoted, being--male assistants, £348 ; female assistants, £256. Of 16(5 male assistants, the salaries of 109 are between £150 and £350, and of 183 women assistants the salaries of 110 are between £150 and £250, and of 157 between £150 and £300. It appears, especially in the case of women teachers, that junior teachers have benefited more from the new regulations than have senior teachers, the difference in salary between teachers just entering the profession and those with long service and experience not being sufficiently marked. A scheme for grading secondary-school teachers, and for providing a more definite scale of salaries, is at present under consideration. In the secondary departments of district high schools salaries are paid in accordance with a general scale. The average salaries (excluding war bonus) paid to secondary assistants in 1918 and 1919 were as follows : — 1918. 1919. Male assistants .. .. .. .. .. .. 263 298 Female assistants . . .. .. .. .. .. 218 268 All secondary assistants .. .. .. .. .. 228 278 The total annual rate of salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments of district high schools, including the special payments to head teachers, was £30,980, as against £23,037 for 1918. The large increase in the total expenditure on salaries and also in the average salaries is the result of the application of the revised scale of salaries for public-school teachers that came into operation in 1919. The following table shows the position of secondary-school teachers with regard to University examination status and teachers' certificate qualifications :

Status of Secondary Teachers (Regular Staff only), December, 1919.

It will be observed that there is a larger proportion of uncertificated teachers among the male assistants of secondary schools than among the women assistants. The percentage of all. uncertificated assistants is, however, less than it was in 1918, the effect of the war upon the male staff until that time having been to increase the proportion of uncertificated teachers. Thirty-four per cent, of the assistants, in addition to being University graduates, hold teachers' certificates ; the number who have attended a training-college is, however, small, and the necessity is recognized of making better provision for the training of secondary-school teachers,

Graduates, also Holders of Teacher's Certificate. Gradua incluc First C ttcs not led in /Olumn. Hoi. of Ten Certii on ders 1 teller's ficate Uncertificated. Totals. . I " r< | Ph 83 rQ a 3 6 60 8 o rH Ph IH a 6 § Fh Ph 6 60 -H S iP "rH -2 § 3 S3 60 «J J -§ s 3 P a Ph I Secondary sohools Principals Men assistants Women assistants All assistants Secondiiry departments of district high sohools — All assistants 19 59 52 32 68 37 120 34 12 60 78 138 38 36 43 40 1 22 15 37 3 13 8 11 32 22 54 19 12 ±5 ,32 100 160 LOO 183 i LOO 34!) ' LOO 57 54 1 1 39 37 8 8 105 100