AGY-4816 | Teacher Personnel Division [Department of Education]

Full description

In 1949, the Department of Education put forward a proposal to the Public Service Board for a restructure of the Department. The main purpose of the restructure was to enable the delegation of more authority from the Departmental Secretary to certain Senior Officers, and the integration of the work of branches and sections to achieve greater cohesion and efficiency. The Board approved the restructure in early 1949, and established positions of Assistant Secretary to cover the fields of finance, and administration. The remainder of the Department was divided into the following five divisions: Teacher Personnel, Schools, Properties, Secretariat, and Research, Guidance and Adjustment. (1)

George Henry Hedwig was appointed as the first Officer-in-Charge of the Teacher Personnel Division on 4 April 1949 (2), and in late 1950 the Teacher Personnel Division moved to new offices in the Sydney city. (3) The Division first appears to be listed in 1951. (4)

The Teacher Personnel Division was concerned with all matters relating to the service of teachers recruitment (5), and was responsible for the administration of teachers college applications, teachers’ rolls, teachers personal files, salary registers, leave registers, granting of leave and termination of service. The records of the Teacher Personnel Division, such as the index to teachers’ rolls, date from 1869. (6)

By 1989, the Division appears to have been abolished. (7)

Endnotes
1. Fifty Third Annual Report of the Public Service Board for the year ended 30 June 1949 p.23 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1948-1949-950, Vol.1, Appendix A, Details of Departmental Organisation during the year ending 30 June 1949, Education, p.1267.
2. Public Service List 1951, p.120
3. Fifty Fourth Annual Report of the Public Service Board for the year ended 30 June 1950 p.34 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1950-1951-1952, Vol.4, Appendix A, Details of Departmental Organisation during the year ending 30 June 1950, Education, p.34.
4. Public Service List, op.cit, p.120.
5. Report of the Minister for Education for 1970, NSW Parliamentary Papers 1971-72, Vol. 2, p.906.
6. Concise Guide to the State Archives (Courts of Requests - G): Education: W. Teacher Personnel Division.
7. NSW Government Directory 1987, Fifth edition, p.115; NSW Government Directory 1989, Sixth Edition, p.121.