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FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1976
REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMISSION ON CERTIFICATED MASTERS PUBLISHED
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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE ITS CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND TO IMPROVE TEACHERS' PROMOTION PROSPECTS. THESE MOVES GIVE EFFECT TO RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMISSION ON CERTIFICATED MASTERS, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED TODAY.
THE COMMISSION, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF MR, T.K. ANN, AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO EXAMINE AND REPORT ON THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THE CERTIFICATED MASTERS DISPUTE.
THE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT LACK OF COMMUNICATION WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE DISPUTE AND SAID THAT IF ADEQUATE CHANNELS OF CONSULTATION AND NEGOTIATION HAD BEEN AVAILABLE AND FULLY UTILISED, THE SITUATION NEED NOT HAVE BECOME AS +UNPLEASANT AND INTRACTABLE AS IT DID.
IT RECOMMENDED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EXAMINE CRITICALLY ITS RELATIONSHIP AND CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BOTH WITH ITS OFFICERS AND WITH SUPERVISORS AND PRINCIPALS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, A DEPARTMENTAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL HAS BEEN SET UP IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. THE COUNCIL HAS HELD 12 MEETINGS SINCE
IT WAS REACTIVATED IN MARCH 1975.
COMMENTING ON THE NEED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WILL BE TAKING STEPS TO CONSULT SCHOOLS' COUNCILS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH A VIEW TO ESTABLISHING A STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL FOR THE AIDED SCHOOLS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH THE SCHOOLS' MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND THEIR TEACHERS.
THE AIDED SCHOOLS' STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE THE TASK OF PROVIDING A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCHOOL MANAGEMENT BODIES, THE STAFF THEY EMPLOY AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.
IMPROVED PROMOTION PROSPECTS
THE REPORT RECOMMENDS IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES FOR CERTIFICATED MASTERS TO BE PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF ASSISTANT MASTER. THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED. THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN
INCREASED NUMBER OF ASSISTANT MASTER POSTS, TO BE OCCUPIED BY HEAD TEACHERS OF SMALL PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND BY MASTERS IN THE LARGER PRIMARY SCHOOLS WHO MANAGE EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED