Evening star., 1947-05-04
Teachers Paw
AGlobal Issue
Worldwide Education
Survey Reveals
Many Strikes
By David Taylor Mwke

bD Davtd Taylor Marie
NEW YORK.-The teacher prob
lem is global.
A survey of education trends in a
dozen countries during recent
months shows there have been
strikes or threatened strikes by
teachers demanding higher salaries
and better teaching conditions In
Japan. Mexico. Ireland, India, Puer-
to Rico, Bermuda, Canada, Costa
Rica, Hungary, Bolivia, South
Africa, Panama and Italy.
Even before the rash of teachers
strikes in the United States, in
structors in Japan. Ireland, Bolivia,
Hungary and India had walked out.
They won what they had asked
only in Japan.
The strikes followed no pattern.
DR.. William q. Carr. associate sec
retary of the. National Education
Association, says the strike weapon
has been used only as a desperate
effort to obtain relief.
There has been much teacher
unrest in Latin America. In Mex
leo. $4,000 teachers in six states,
members Of the National Syndicate
of Teachers, staged a one hour
stoppage in November, 1916, in pro-
test against low salaries and high
costs. Almost half Of Puerto Rico's
5000 school teachers struck until a
special session of the, Legislature
granted salary increases.
$4,000 Struck in Rome.
Costa Rica teachers gained a IS
per cent increase (they had de-
manded Is per cent?: Bermuda
voted an increase that fell short Of
rising costs. Panama sought to pla-
cate striking pupils protesting exist
ing salary schedules and the conse-
quent teacher shortages by moving
to bring back a score of instructors
completing special training at Co.
lumbia University in New York.
In Rome, $4,000 dissatisfied Ita1-
ian school teachers struck for higher
pay. closing 5000 schools.
There have been threats of strikes
at Queenstown, South Africa, and
st. Johns, New Brunswick, in
Canada.
According to information here,
minimum salaries paid primary
school teachers range from So a
month in the native states of India
to $160 month paid Scandinavian
primary school teachers. Secondary
school salaries are somewhat higher.
f"The s16o month paid to
Scandinavian school teachers,
however" says Johannes Sandvin,
Norwegian secondary school
teacher studying at Teachers
College, Columbia University, SIS
really equal to $500 In terms of
what one can buy with the Nor
wegian crown" Scandinavian
countries were conspicuously free
Of teacher disputes.)
Pay Scale Is Low.
According to figures supplied by
various consulate-generals and by
foreign students now studying at
Columbia University, primary school
teachers in Hungary receive as low
as 50 in cash per month; In British
India and Japan, $40: In Poland,
S18; Brazil, $25:: Netherlands, $50;
Greece, China, Iraq, Czechoslovakia
and Russia. $40; Chile, $50; Ber-
muda, $55: Egypt. $62.25: Canada,
South Africa and France, SITS; Tur-
key, $50: Cuba, 500; England, $1e5:
Palestine. in Jewish controlled
schools, $120.
Secondary school teachers fare
somewhat better.
In most countries teachers in
urban centers earn more, while in
crements at stated intervals, cost OF
living bonuses and additional sums
for children add to the yearly sti-
pend.
Usually, teachers are paid on a
par with other government work
ers, but much lower than most pro-.
men or skilled workers.
The situation Is 50 serious, says
DR.. Carr, that 1t is proposed there
be an international review Of the
situation and perhaps an interna-
tional charter Of the rights and re-
sponsibilities OF teachers and EN-
ployers."
Distributed By sha .ssoei.sed rreso