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Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 14. June 12 1978

Status-Seeking

Status-Seeking

Why is there a move towards a degree for teachers? The main thrust of it seems purely to be part of a drive for status. There is a forceful move amongst those who've been involved in teaching and teacher training for some years to push for teachers to be recognised as professional people of a "high-standing". The NZ Educational Institute has policy supporting this drive towards professionalism and a four-year degree.

This is a tremendous blow to qualified teachers. The desire for this elitist trend can only do harm to education in NZ. As well as alienating teachers from the community, it could well alienate them from children. The emphasis today is on a much greater co-operation between the school and the community. Degrees will only serve to widen the existing gap between teachers and parents, by putting teachers in a different group, similar to doctors and lawyers.