TEACHERS TRAINED FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHING IN GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Mr David Marshall asked the Minister for Education whether persons trained as teachers for Primary Schools are teaching in `Government Secondary Schools, and what is the number of such persons.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, to answer the question as put by the Member for Anson whether persons trained as teachers for primary schools are teaching in Government secondary schools, a short answer would be "no". But I think that would not be a fair answer. So may I explain a little for the information of the Member for Anson?

Persons wishing to take up teaching as a career are expected to have certain basic educational qualifications. After appointment, they are expected to undergo a training course at the Teachers' Training College and thus become trained teachers. Persons so trained at the T.T.C. are not classified as being either trained for primary schools or being trained for secondary schools. They are just trained teachers. As a general rule, however, if College or University graduates are available they will be posted to teach in secondary schools. Out of a total of 1,740 teachers in secondary schools, excluding those in full schools - I may also explain that a "full" school means an elementary and secondary school combined into one, and they do not supply figures as to how many are in the primary section and how many in the secondary section - more than 1,098 are in Government secondary schools as at 30th of September last year. Those are the last available statistics.

Mr David Marshall: Do I understand the Minister to say then, in fact, that there is no such thing as a primary school teacher trained to teach in primary schools? Is that correct?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: I have explained that we do not call them trained primary teachers. They are teachers posted to primary schools or teachers posted to secondary schools.