TUESDAY, AUGUST 19, 1975
ED ANXIOUS TO IMPROVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH TEACHERS
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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY ANXIOUS TO IMPROVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH TEACHERS.
THIS WAS STATED BY A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT WHEN ASKED BY REPORTERS TO COMMENT ON AN APPEAL BY THE EDUCATION ACTION GROUP +TO SET UP AN APPEALS BOARD WHICH TEACHERS COULD GO TO IF THEY FELT THEY HAD BEEN UNJUSTLY FIRED FROM THEIR SCHOOLS+, AND THE GROUP'S CALL ON THE DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE REGULATION 96 OF THE EDUCATION REGULATIONS.
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S ANXIETY TO IMPROVE THE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS THE REASON FOR RE-ACTIVATING IN MARCH THIS YEAR OF THE DEPARTMENTAL STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL WHICH INCLUDED GOVERNMENT TEACHERS' REPRESENTATIVES.
HE SAID : +SERIOUS CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS WITH TEACHERS. HOWEVER, IT MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN THAT THE TEACHERS THEMSELVES ARE EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES WITH WHOM THEIR CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED AND SAFEGUARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THE CODES OF AID TO PROTECT THE POSITION OF PUBLIC SECTOR TEACHERS AND GIVE THEM REASONABLE SECURITY.
+THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO MEDIATE IN ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN A TEACHER AND A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. IN CASES WHERE MEDIATION IS NOT POSSIBLE THE DEPARTMENT GOES TO TREMENDOUS LENGTHS TO SECURE ALTERNATIVE TEACHING POSTS FOR SUCH TEACHERS AND MAINTAINS CLOSE TOUCH WITH VARIOUS TEACHERS' ORGANISATIONS IN SUCH CASES.+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE E.A.G.'S DEMAND FOR CHANGING REGULATION 96 OF THE EDUCATION REGULATIONS HAD NO CONNECTION WITH THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE TSUNG TSIN COLLEGE CASE. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED NO LIST OF PUPILS FROM THE SCHOOL,
HE STRESSED THAT THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE IS TO ENABLE THE DIRECTOR TO MAINTAIN REASONABLE CONTROL OVER SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG. +FURTHERMORE, THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE IS TO EMPOWER THE DIRECTOR TO SUPERINTEND MATTERS RELATING TO EDUCATION IN HONG KONG AND THE DIRECTOR MIGHT WELL NEED THE POWER IN REGULATION 96 IF IT SHOULD HAPPEN THAT A PUPIL FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER WAS AFFECTING THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE OTHER PUPILS, HE SAID.
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