XN000022-1973-04-02 — Page 3

2 -

Monday, April 2, 1973

"In the primary school sector promotion posts have increased from

76 to 1891, and in the secondary school sector from 88 to 236.

As many

more certificated masters will be promoted, fewer will have to move on to

the extended scale.

"The Government had considered most carefully the situation regarding

the salaries of certificated masters, and in particular the points raised by

them in their various representations."

Mr. Yeung pointed out that the independent Morgan Working Group

carried out a detailed analysis of their conditions, in comparison with 24

other grades at this level in the government service, and based its recommendations

on this study.

"Contrary to allegations that the report represents a rejection of

the teachers' claims, careful reading shows that to a significant extent it

supports their claims, though not in every single respect," he commented.

the

"While accepting the basic recommendations of the working group,

Government has implemented them sooner than the group envisaged by establishing

the higher entry point of $1,250 this year, for those who graduate from

training colleges with credit.

Steps

"The Government's final decision was reached after careful consideration

in Executive Council and the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council,

are now being taken to implement the new scale and teachers will receive the

additional benefits as soon as possible.

፡

"These benefits include, for those at the top of the existing scale,

automatic entry to the extra scale proposed by the Morgan Group. But this extra

scale rises to $2,050, which is higher than the Group envisaged, and does not

require the teacher to forfeit his chances of promotion."

/Following.....