XN000022-1978-03-11 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1978

(5) THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOL NON-GRADUATE TEACHERS' UNION HAS GIVEN AN ASSURANCE THAT FULL CO-OPERATION WILL BE GIVEN BY THE UNION IN THE RETENTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND THE REDEPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS WITHIN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

THE STATEMENT ADDED: +DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE AND IT IS HOPED THAT FURTHER MEASURES TO HELP RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WILL HAVE BEEN AGREED BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.+

IT WILL BE RECALLED THAT IN JULY 1977, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED A DECISION THAT THERE WOULD BE A PERMANENT GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SECTOR, BUT THAT IF THE PUPIL POPULATION OF GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS CONTINUED TO DECLINE, THE OPERATION OF EMPTY SCHOOLS WITH TEACHERS ON THE PAYROLL COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED.

AT THAT TIME IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE NUMBER OF SURPLUS GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS WAS MORE THAN 650, AND THAT BY SEPTEMBER 1980 IT COULD BE IN THE REGION OF 1,100.

IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE TEACHERS CONCERNED WERE FACED WITH A NUMBER OF CHOICES TO CONTINUE TEACHING IN GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO RETIRE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN 1980, APPLY FOR RETIREMENT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST BEFORE THAT DATE, OR APPLY FOR ANOTHER POST IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OR ELSEWHERE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE RETAINING THEIR EXISTING SALARY SCALE IF IT WAS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

IN ADDITION, IT WAS STATED THAT THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WOULD CONSULT THE STAFF SIDE AS TO HOW BEST TO IMPLEMENT THIS DECISION.

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