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FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1975
STATEMENT BY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
ON TEACHING VACANCIES ******
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS CONFIDENT THAT ABOUT 450 TEACHING VACANCIES IN AIDED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL BE OPEN TO COMPETITION BY GRADUATES OF THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN THE COMING ACADEMIC YEAR.
THIS ESTIMATE WAS GIVEN TO THE COLLEGES IN AN EXCHANGE OF CORRESPONDENCE AND MEETINGS EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM MARCH TO MAY WITH THE NECESSARY CAUTION THAT THE ESTIMATE COULD ONLY BE CONFIRMED LATER, WHEN WASTAGE IN THE FORM OF RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS CREATING VACANCIES BECAME KNOWN, AND WHEN VACANCIES IN DEVELOPING AND NEW SCHOOLS COUL BE DETERMINED.
COULD
THERE WAS THE FURTHER PROBLEM OF THE REDEPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS FROM SCHOOLS IN WHICH UNDER-UTILISED CLASSES WERE BEING CLOSED.
IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT AS AN EMPLOYER TO ASSIST ITS EMPLOYEES IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, AND THIS IT IS DOING THROUGH A SPECIALLY CREATED PLACEMENT SERVICE IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
COLLEGE GRADUATES WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE PROVISION OF THIS INFORMATION IN NO WAY CONSTITUTED ANY COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO GUARANTEE APPOINTMENTS.
WHILE THE DEPARTMENT WAS SYMPATHETIC AND WAS DOING ALL IT COULD TO HELP THE COLLEGES AT AN ANXIOUS TIME, STUDENTS WERE REMINDED THAT IT REMAINED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE.
COLLEGE AUTHORITIES HAVE ALWAYS ASSISTED GRADUATES BY RELAYING INFORMATION FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF VACANCIES IN SCHOOLS, BUT THIS YEAR PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN IMPROVED AS A REFLECTION OF OFFICIAL CONCERN AT A SPECIALLY DIFFICULT TIME.
IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT ESTIMATES WILL GIVE WAY TO DEFINITE FIGURES OF VACANCIES IN EARLY AUGUST. THIS IS BECAUSE THE REDEPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS ALREADY IN SERVICE SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY THEN, AND BECAUSE NEW SCHOOLS WHICH ARE ABOUT TO BE HANDED OVER TO THEIR SPONSORS HAVE YET TO FINALISE THEIR CLASS ORGANISATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 1975.
FIGURES FOR VACANCIES ARE NECESSARILY FLUID FROM DAY TO DAY AS TEACHERS RESIGN, RETIRE OR TRANSFER FROM THE PRIVATE TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, VICE VERSA, BUT THE ESTIMATE OF 450 VACANCIES IN AIDED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OPEN TO COMPETITION, AFTER REDUNDANT SERVING TEACHERS HAVE BEEN PLACED, STILL APPEARS SOUND.
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/COLLEGE