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THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING SURPLUS OF TEACHING POSTS IN THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SECTOR, WHICH HAS ARISEN FROM THE DECLINING POPULATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW MANNING SCALES WOULD NOT REQUIRE THE CREATION OF ANY MORE ASSISTANT MASTER POSTS IN THE GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SECTOR. IN THE AIDED SECTOR, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF NON-GRADUATE TEACHERS ARE EMPLOYED, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE OF 509 IN THE NUMBER OF ASSISTANT MASTER POSTS IN AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS. THIS WILL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE THE PROMOTION PROSPECTS OF THESE TEACHERS. IN ADDITION, THE PLANNED EXPANSION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION ON THE LINES OF THE WHITE PAPER WILL ALSO IMPROVE THE PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS IN BOTH THE AIDED AND THE GOVERNMENT SECTORS.

TURNING TO THE PROPOSED CREATION OF A NEW RANK OF SENIOR CERTIFICATED MASTER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT ACCEPT THIS RECOMMENDATION. THE EXTENDED SALARY SCALE FOR CERTIFICATED MASTERS HAD BEEN REVISED IN 1973 TO PROVIDE A HIGHER MAXIMUM POINT WHICH WOULD BENEFIT ALL THOSE REACHING THE TOP OF THE CERTIFICATED MASTER SCALE, NOT MERELY THE SMALLER NUMBER WHO WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THE PROPOSAL FOR A SENIOR RANK.

IMPROVED CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

EIGHT OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS DEALING WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO CONDITIONS OF SERVICE ARE SUPPORTED. THEY ARE:

INTRODUCTION OF UNIFORM PROMOTION

PROCEDURES FOR TEACHERS

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION SUPPORTS THIS BUT CANNOT ALTER THE PROCEDURE UNILATERALLY. SINCE ANY CHANGE WILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE MAJOR SPONSORING BODIES, THIS RECOMMENDATION MUST BE REFERRED TO THE AIDED SCHOOLS' STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL.

STANDARDISATION OF DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

IN AIDED SCHOOLS

DISMISSAL PROCEDURES ARE ALREADY LAID DOWN IN THE CODES OF AID, BUT THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION HAS ALREADY CONTACTED THE AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS COUNCILS WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THEM. THE DIRECTOR WILL ALSO CONSULT THE AIDED SCHOOLS' STAFF CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER.

REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF PRIMARY CLASSES

THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE CLASSES IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IS ALREADY ABOUT 40, THE FIGURE RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION.

/STRICTER PROMOTION