XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

THE DIRECTOR SAID HE CANNOT EMPHASISE TOO STRONGLY THE IMPORTANT ROLE CLASSROOM TEACHERS HAVE TO PLAY IN THE PROVISION OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

A CLASS TEACHER, NEXT TO THE PARENT, IS IN CLOSEST CONTACT WITH CHILDREN AND IS USUALLY QUICK TO NOTICE EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURIAL PROBLEMS.

HOWEVER, MR HAYE SAID HE RECOGNISES THAT CLASS TEACHERS ARE VERY BUSY PEOPLE AND CLASSES ARE LARGE.

+AS THOUGHTFUL OBSERVERS AND PRACTISING TEACHERS HAVE RECENTLY COMMENTED, MORE TEACHERS ARE NEEDED IN SCHOOLS TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD AND TO PROVIDE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO GET TO KNOW THE IR PUPILS' PROBLEMS,

+AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER TO CLASS RATIO WILL THEREFORE BE AN IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE FORTHCOMING WHITE PAPER ON PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES, AND THE TEACHER TO CLASS RATIO FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS ALSO BEING REVIEWED.

+ VERY MUCH HOPE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE MORE TEACHERS WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION TO THEIR PUPILS AND THE IR PROBLEMS WILL BE NIPPED IN THE BUD,+ MR HAYE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR ALSO TURNED TO THE VALUABLE WORK OF CAREERS MASTERS AND MISTRESSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WHICH SOME 300 DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN, IN ADDITION TO THE IR MANY TEACHING DUTIES, ARE PROVIDING CAREERS ADVICE TO SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVERS.

+MORE TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL ASSIST THIS VALUABLE ELEMENT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING, AND A RE-ALLOCATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL STAFF IN THE CONTEXT OF RECENT IMPROVEMENTS OF THE SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF SENIOR GRADUATE TEACHERS SHOULD HELP,+ THE DIRECTOR SAID.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH THE STRESSES AND STRAINS WHICH SEEMED TO BESET SOME YOUNG PEOPLE AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL AND THIS CONCERN HAD BEEN UNDERLINED IN RECENT SEMINARS FOR HEADS OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND IN DISCUSSION IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

+WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE PRESSURE OF OUR SOCIETY, ABOUT THE EROSION OF FAMILIAR SOCIAL VALUES, ABOUT GROWING INDISCIPLINE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.

+THIS IS AN ONGOING AND COMPLEX PROBLEM FOR WHICH THERE IS NO SIMPLE SNAP SOLUTION- BUT WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH IT AT ALL LEVELS AND WE THINK THE EXPANSION OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES WITH MORE TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS WILL GO SOME WAY TOWARDS EASING THE PRESSURE ON OUR CHILDREN,+ MR HAYE SAID,

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