I
18
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1992
CONFIRMED
NEW
ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REPEATER ALLOWANCE, MR CHAN THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO EXCLUDE SECONDARY 4 FROM THE ARRANGEMENT, IN ORDER TO REMOVE ANY UNCERTAINTY FACING PARENTS AND PUPILS AT THE POINT OF ENTRY INTO SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION.
HE
1
REITERATED THE NEED TO RETAIN THE ARRANGEMENT AT PRIMARY AND SECONDARY 1 IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S BUDGETARY GUIDELINE OF MAINTAINING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE GROWTH IN PUBLIC SECTOR EXPENDITURE AND THE RATE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH.
"WE
RECOGNISE THAT THE MEASURE WOULD, IN SOME CASES, LEAD ΤΟ MARGINAL INCREASES
TO IN CLASS SIZES, BUT WE HAVE TAKEN GREAT CARE MINIMISE THE EFFECT UPON THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, MR CHAN SAID.
"WE HAVE RESPONDED TO SUGGESTIONS FROM THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY BY
PUPILS EXEMPTING SCHOOLS HAVING A HIGH PROPORTION OF BAND 5 THE NEW MEASURE, IN RECOGNITION OF THE HEAVY BURDEN BORNE BY WORKING IN THESE SCHOOLS.
FROM
TEACHERS
"WE HAVE ALSO GIVEN AN UNDERTAKING THAT THE REPEATER ALLOWANCE WILL BE RESTORED IN FULL BY THE FIFTH YEAR, WHEN THE PROJECTED DECLINE IN ENROLMENT WILL ALLOW SMALLER CLASSES TO BE OPERATED, HE ADDED.
++
то
PUPILS AT PRESENT, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ALLOCATES 38 EACH CLASS OF 40, ALLOWING THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES TO USE THE REMAINING TWO PLACES TO ACCOMMODATE REPEATERS IF THEY SO WISH.
́.BECAUSE NOT ALL SCHOOLS EXERCISE THIS DISCRETION IN FULL, AND BECAUSE THERE IS SOME "WASTAGE" OF PUPILS IN THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, A FAIR PROPORTION OF CLASSES AT PRIMARY 1 AND SECONDARY 1 ACTUALLY HAVE LESS THAN 40 PUPILS.
IN FACT, 40 PER CENT OF PRIMARY 1 AND 20 PER CENT OF SECONDARY 1 CLASSES HAVE 38 PUPILS OR LESS.
THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REPEATER ALLOWANCE WILL MEAN THAT THE EACH DIRECTOR WILL, WITH EFFECT FROM THIS YEAR, ALLOCATE 40 PUPILS TO CLASS.
ΤΟ
THIS MEASURE WILL HAVE NO REAL EFFECT ON THOSE CLASSES WHICH HAVE 38 PUPILS OR LESS.
DEPEND THE EFFECT ON THE OTHER CLASSES WILL ON THE
NECESSARY EXTENT TO WHICH THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES FIND IT ACCOMMODATE REPEATERS, BUT WILL IN ANY CASE BE MARGINAL AND LIKELY DISSIPATE OVER TIME DUE TO "WASTAGE".
ΤΟ
MR CHAN EMPHASISED THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF CLASSES RESULTING FROM THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE REPEATER ALLOWANCE WOULD NOT LEAD TO ANY STAFF REDUNDANCY, BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT ROOM IN THE OVERALL SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR TEACHERS TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE.
/19
Page 20Page 21