XN000022-1976-07-23 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1976

D.E. SENDS REPLY TO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

STUDENTS' UNIONS

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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. COLVYN HAYE TODAY REPLIED TO THE PETITION RECENTLY ADDRESSED TO HIM BY STUDENTS' UNIONS OF THE THREE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.

COMMENTING ON MAJOR ISSUES RAISED BY THE STUDENTS' UNIONS, THE DIRECTOR REJECTED INCONSISTENCIES CLAIMED BY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN HIS DEALING WITH THEIR CONCERN.

VERY COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE WITH THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO DEAL WITH THE IR GRADUATES' EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS, STUDENTS WERE REMINDED THAT THEY HAD BEEN CLEARLY INFORMED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE INFORMATION SERVICE ON TEACHING VACANCIES FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES, ESTABLISHED IN 1975, WAS AGAIN WORKING QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY IN THEIR INTERESTS THIS YEAR. THE SERVICE OPERATED THROUGH THE PRINCIPALS OF THE COLLEGES, WHO SPOKE WITH THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR.

MR. HAYE REITERATED THAT THE SITUATION WAS NOT AS REPRESENTED BY THE COLLEGE STUDENTS. AT LEAST 532 VACANCIES IN SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WOULD BE AVAILABE IN AUGUST. THE STUDENTS HAD BEEN TOLD MANY TIMES THAT GRADUATES WOULD BE FREE TO APPLY FOR THESE VACANCIES WHEN THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH THEY WERE EXPECTED COULD BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. STUDENTS WERE AWARE THAT ADDRESSES OF THE SCHOOLS WOULD BE POSTED ON COLLEGE NOTICE BOARDS WHEN SERVING REDUNDANT TEACHERS IN THE AIDED PRIMARY SECTOR HAD BEEN PLACED BY THE END OF JULY. HE SAID THAT ADVANCE LISTS OF SOME SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN WHICH SOME OF THE 532 VACANCIES WERE EXPECTED HAD ALREADY BEEN POSTED ON COLLEGE NOTICE BOARDS, BUT THE COMPLETE LIST INCLUDING PRIMARY SCHOOLS COULD ONLY BE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL IN THIS ARRANGEMENT, HE SAID, AS THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED LAST YEAR. IN FACT THE TIME-TABLE HAD BEEN ADVANCED THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WOULD BE PERMITTED TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM JULY 31 INSTEAD OF MID- AUGUST.

THE DIRECTOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT WHILE IT WAS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO FIND WORK FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD NEVERTHELESS ALWAYS SHOWN SYMPATHY FOR THE GRADUATES AND WAS DOING ALL IT COULD TO PUT ASPIRING TEACHERS IN TOUCH WITH SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VACANCIES.

MR. HAYE EXPECTED THE GREAT MAJORITY OF GRADUATES FROM THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TO FIND TEACHING POSTS IN THE 'COMING TERM.

WHILE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WAS CONSISTENT IN ITS VIEW THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS SHOULD PROPERLY DEAL WITH THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH COLLEGE PRINCIPALS, MR. HAYE BELIEVED THAT RECENT GRADUATES MIGHT LEGITIMATELY DISCUSS THEIR EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND HAD ARRANGED A MEETING FOR THURSDAY, JULY 29, AT 3 P.M.

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