TNAG-1859-FCO40-2634-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 37

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 October 1989

香港立法局 一九八九年十月十八日

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SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, in answer to the first part of the question, the vacancies in aided schools as at the beginning of September this year were as follows: 111 vacancies of non-graduate teachers, representing 0.7% of the establishment. In aided secondary schools there were 45 vacancies among the graduate workforce of 11 000 representing a vacancy rate of 4%. In respect of non-graduate teachers in aided secondary schools, there were 17 vacancies, representing a vacancy rate of 0.6%. In the case of government schools, the same split yields 35 vacancies of non-graduate teachers in primary schools; 41 vacancies of graduate teachers and 28 vacancies of non- graduate teachers in secondary schools. In respect of the second part of the question, Sir, the shortages by subject area are mainly in the teaching of English, Chinese, Physical Education, commercial subjects and technical subjects. The third part of the question covers serious manifestations of vacancies by district. I am afraid I do not have details with me, Sir, but I believe that by and large the region that has sustained the largest number of vacancies is the New Territories.

MISS LEUNG: Sir, could I have a simple breakdown of vacancy rates of primary schools and secondary schools?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, I do not have an overall figure for both government and aided primary school, and government and aided secondary schools. I have a split by sector, that is to say, government primary and aided primary. The figures are as follows: in the case of aided primary schools where there are no graduate teachers, the vacancy rate is 0.7%. The figures are 0.4% and 0.6% for graduate and non-graduate teachers in aided secondary schools. Similarly, in government primary schools where there are no graduate teachers, the vacancy rate is 2.7%. In government secondary schools, the figures in respect of graduate and non-graduate teachers are 3.5% and 3.6%.

MR. DAVID CHEUNG: Sir, in view of the Government's intention to expand the tertiary sector in the next six years, will the Secretary kindly inform this Council whether such expansion will affect the quality of primary and secondary schools, thus further aggravating the teacher supply situation?

SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, the short answer is no. The proposals that we formulated for the Executive Council were based on two thrusts. That is to say, we have already provided enough places in the

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