‘Payments by results’ and the status of teachers in Victoria, 1862–1872

Abstract

The result system has proved unfortunate and disagreeable: — It in no way effects [sic] the attendance, except that the children exhibit a greater desire to be absent on the attendance of the Inspector than any other day: — It does not add to the efficiency of the general teaching, but prevents attention being paid to the cultivation in individuals of those faculties which the teacher finds prominent and calculated with special training to produce special fruit: — It prevents the country teachers from teaching any branch outside the standards: arid it is absolutely ruinous in such a school as I now hold, where it is utterly impossible to procure fees equal to the half of the salary and Result money. I have already been mulcted in two half years of the last four of Result payments: and in the event of my remaining here as a teacher I have no hope that a better average can be realized. J. H. Bowman, Head Teacher, Common School no. 596, Stratford.