Chapter 4 continues the same theme in respect of primary schools. It focuses on the need for the systematic retraining of teachers and the training of heads. As in the case of kindergartens it emphasises the need for teams of practising teachers to work on curriculum development. This is in line with the proposals in the Green Paper. The Green Paper proposals for extending the pupil-orientated Activity Approach have been adjusted to reflect a more generous supply of equipment and materials. It is also suggested that the system of class libraries originally intended in the Green Paper to cover only classes Primary 4 - Primary 6 should be extended to all primary classes. Other Green Paper proposals relating to better furniture and equipment, improved audio-visual aid services and improved services for the reviewing of textbooks, the tackling of noise pollution in schools, and the strengthening of the Advisory Inspectorate and its services have been repeated and in some cases expanded. A new proposal to review the Capitation Grant annually will be welcomed by schools.
14
Chapter 5 considers rural schools. It reaffirms the Government's intention to improve the standards of these schools so that children educated in them will be better equipped to meet the demands of the junior secondary course. Improved staffing for smaller rural schools, encouragement for the building of some centrally located schools to replace sub-standard village schools, together with a decision to close down, where possible, the smaller, inefficient, rural schools, are the principal measures suggested.
15
Chapter 6 considers the need to introduce remedial teaching and to reduce the incidence of repetition, which is currently estimated to be running at about 6% per annum. The staffing requirements to cope with remedial teaching and other measures designed to improve standards in primary education are described, and an improved teacher to class ratio of 1.2 1 is proposed. This marks an improvement over the Green Paper proposal of 1. 15: 1 but is still significantly below the 1.3: 1 which many commentators on the Green Paper had hoped for. It should be noted that, although not stated in the White Paper, it is the intention to improve this staffing ratio when the supply of trained teachers and the availability of more classrooms makes it possible.
16
The chapter also proposes an increase in the number of Senior Teachers in schools to take account of the additional responsibilities introduced in the proposed White Paper. A standard 24-classroom school, for example, would attract, within the overall staffing ratio, an additional two Senior Teachers. It is also proposed that one of the Senior Teachers in each primary school of twelve or more classes should serve as deputy to the head of the school.
17
Although reservations were expressed by some commentators on the original Green Paper proposal, it is still intended that the Director of Education should play a more active advisory role in the appointment of heads of primary schools.
G.S. 166
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