XN000022-1976-02-26 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1976

REDUCTION OF 100 AIDED PRIMARY CLASSES

TEACHERS ASSURED OF ALTERNATIVE TEACHING JOBS

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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT NEARLY 320 NEW CLASSES WOULD BE OPENED IN NEW AND DEVELOPING AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR STARTING SEPTEMBER 1976.

+THESE CLASSES WILL BE IN SCHOOLS IN THE NEW TOWNS, IN THE NEW ESTATES IN OTHER DEVELOPING AREAS AND IN AREAS WITH SHORTAGES OF AIDED PLACES, SAID MR. LAM TAT-LAU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (PRIMARY).

HE ADDED: +AS A RESULT OF A GRADUAL MOVEMENT OF POPULATION TO THE NEW AREAS COUPLED WITH A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE APPROPRIATE PRIMARY AGE GROUP, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO PHASE OUT 420 SERIOUSLY UNDER-UTILISED CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER.+

A PLACEMENT SERVICE WILL BE REACTIVATED IN MID-MAY TO HELP TEACHERS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THE REDISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION.

+JUDGING FROM LAST YEAR'S SUCCESS OF THE PLACEMENT SERVICE, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THE REDUNDANT TEACHERS WILL BE ABSORBED BY SCHOOLS WITH VACANCIES ARISING FROM THE OPENING OF NEW CLASSES, RETIREMENT AND OTHER NORMAL WASTAGE, WITH THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL SPONSORS WHO MADE A GREAT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE SUCCESS OF LAST YEAR'S EXERCISE, MR. LAM SAID.

.FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PROVIDED MAINLY FROM WASTAGE, RETIREMENT AND FROM THE OPENING OF CLASSES MAINLY IN NEW AIDEÓ SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND IN SCHOOLS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

IN THE CASE OF THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SECTOR. TEACHERS IN UNDER-ENROLLED SCHOOLS WILL BE RE-DEPLOYED TO OTHER DIVISIONS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND POSSIBLY TO OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN SEPTEMBER 1976.

THE STATEMENT BY MR. LAM REFLECTS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S CONCERN FOR SERVING TEACHERS, IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY MISUNDERSTANDING, THE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED THE SAME PROCEDURE

INTRODUCED LAST YEAR BY INVITING REPRESENTATIVES OF INTERESTED PARTIES FOR A DISCUSSION THIS AFTERNOON TO IMPRESS UPON THEM THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO HELP REDUNDANT TEACHERS.

THE INTERESTED PARTIES INCLUDED THE HONG KONG PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS' UNION. THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOL NON-GRADUATE TEACHERS' UNION, THE SUBSIDISED PRIMARY SCHOOL HEADS ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION.

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