XN000022-1977-10-11 — Page 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1977

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S PLACEMENT SERVICE TO BE REACTIVATED

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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S PLACEMENT SERVICE WILL BE REACTIVATED IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY NEXT YEAR TO FIND ALTERNATIVE TEACHING POSTS FOR REDUNDANT TEACHERS IN AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS,

AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE IN EARLY MARCH NEXT YEAR ON THE NUMBER OF NEW CLASSES TO BE OPENED IN NEW AND DEVELOPING AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, KOWLOON, AND THE NEW TERRITORIES IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1978 AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF SERIOUSLY UNDER-UTILISED CLASSES TO BE PHASED OUT, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (SCHOOLS), MR. LAM TAT-LAU SAID TODAY.

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AFFECTED WILL THEN BE KNOWN.

MR. LAM SAID: +FROM EXPERIENCE GAINED IN OPERATING THE SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT SERVICE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT TEACHERS FROM CLASSES WHICH CLOSE WILL BE ABSORBED BY SCHOOLS WITH VACANCIES ARISING FROM THE OPENING OF NEW CLASSES, RETIREMENT AND OTHER NORMAL WASTAGE.

+WHILE THE PLACEMENT SERVICE DOES ITS BEST TO PLACE REDUNDANT AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN ALTERNATIVE JOBS, IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE EMPLOYMENT.

+ THE SERVICE IDENTIFIES VACANCIES AND BRINGS SCHOOL MANAGERS AND TEACHERS TOGETHER WITH A VIEW TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM. MUCH DEPENDS ON THE WILLINGNESS OF THE TEACHERS CONCERNED TO TAKE UP APPOINTMENTS, THE WILLINGNESS OF MANAGERS TO ACCEPT TEACHERS AND THE SUITABILITY OF TEACHERS WITH SUBJECT SPECIALISM WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT MATCH VACANCIES,+ MR. LAM SAID.

NEVERTHELESS, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IS CONFIDENT THAT THE PLACEMENT SERVICE WILL AGAIN BE ABLE TO PLACE ALL REDUNDANT AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEXT YEAR.

IN 1975 THE SERVICE PLACED 187 TEACHERS, IN 1976 IT FOUND ALTERNATIVE POSTS FOR 165 AND THIS YEAR 400.

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