TNAG-1073-FCO40-1323-Policy-of-the-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-including-1981 — Page 346

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school teachers or educational workers in related fields. In the

University of Hong Kong the School of Education offers two programmes

for university graduates, one full-time and one part-time, leading to

the Certificate in Education. Both universities offer education courses

beyond this level. At the Chinese University an M.A. degree programme

in Education is available to Diploma in Education holders (or those

with qualifications or relevant experience acceptable in lieu thereof):

candidates are required to complete the course requirements within one

to three calendar years. At the University of Hong Kong an Advanced

Diploma in Education course is available to holders of the Certificate

of Education (or acceptable qualifications in lieu) with at least two

years' post-Certificate experience in the practice of education; the

curriculum extends over thirty-six weeks of part-time study. This

course provides opportunity for progression to a Master of Education

course, also extending over thirty-six weeks of part-time study. The

latter-named courses provide valuable opportunities for further professional

study, particularly for graduates in key posts in the education service.

6.33 At the graduate level, newly qualified teachers without

professional training (a Diploma or Certificate in Education, or the

equivalent) now face a major disincentive in public-sector schools in

that they will not normally be considered for promotion beyond the

initial rank until they obtain a professional qualification; moreover,

this has recently been reinforced (initially for the government sector)

by the implementation of a recommendation of the Standing Commission on

Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service that newly-recruited

Assistant Education Officers should not be allowed to proceed to the

last six points of their salary scale without such a qualification.

This policy is expected to lead to a further steady decline in the

proportion of untrained graduate teachers in the public sector.