XN000022-1981-03-25 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1981

9

NEED FOR SCHOOL VICE-PRINCIPALS STRESSED

******

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECOGNISE AGAIN THE NEED FOR VICE- PRINCIPALS IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE REV THE HON JOYCE M. BENNETT SAID IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SHE SAID THE FIFTH REPORT BY THE STANDING COMMISSION ON CIVIL SERVICE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE WAS A HEAVY BLOW TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION WHEN IT ABOLISHED THE SENIOR MASTER GRADE WHICH MADE THE VICE-PRINCIPAL'S POST REASONABLE AND RESPECTED.

SHE HAD ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ABOUT THE ABOLITION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+1 AM NOT SATISFIED WITH HIS ANSWER THAT THERE IS NO FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SCHOOL VICE-PRINCIPAL AND THE SUBJECT HEAD OF A PANEL OF TEACHERS.

+FAILURE TO RECOGNISE ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN SUCH POSTS REVEALS A SHOCK ING FAILURE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO USE ITS PERSONNEL PROPERLY.+

FOLLOWING THE ABOLITION OF THE SM POSITION IN SCHOOLS, SHE SAID, VICE-PRINCIPALS WERE IN EFFECT DEMOTED TO A POSITION EQUIVALENT TO 12 OTHERS IN A STAFF OF 60.

MISS BENNETT POINTED OUT THAT TEACHERS IN THE LOWER GRADES OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE, WHETHER GRADUATE OR NON-GRADUATE, HAVE FOUR AVENUES FOR PROMOTION, I.E. IN THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES, IN THE INSPECTORATE, AS LECTURERS IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF TEACHERS IN THE AIDED SECTOR, NEARLY 20 000 MORE THAN IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR, HAD ONLY ONE AVENUE FOR PROMOTION, TO THAT OF PRINCIPAL.

+NOW THE SM GRADE IS ABOLISHED, THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE PROMOTION POST FOR ALL THOSE SENIOR GRADUATE TEACHERS.

+WHAT INDEED IS THE RATIONALE FOR PROVIDING FEW PROMOTION POSTS FOR GRADUATE TEACHERS?+ SHE ASKED.

IN HER OPINION, A SCHOOL WITH ONE TO 17 CLASSES IN OPERATION NEEDED ONE VICE-PRINCIPAL, SCHOOLS WITH 18 TO 29 CLASSES NEEDED TWC VICE-PRINCIPALS WHILE SCHOOLS WITH 30 OR MORE CLASSES REQUIRED THREE VICE-PRINCIPALS, EXTRA TO THE ORDINARY STAFF ESTABLISHMENT.

MISS BENNETT ALSO CALLED FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE CAREERS TEACHER TO EACH STANDARD SIZE SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ADDITION TO THE PRESENT CLASS-TEACHER RATIO.

SHE CITED A CAREERS TEACHER WHO RETURNED FROM THE 1980 CAREERS MASTERS SEMINAR DEMANDING TO TEACH FEWER PERIODS, SO THAT HER CAREERS COUNSELLING AMONG THE 1 270 STUDENTS COULD BE CARRIED OUT MORE EFFECTIVELY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THE PRIVIL.

Page 10Page 11