UNTRAINED TEACHERS SERVING AS PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS (Replacement by trained and qualified teachers)

Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Education how many untrained teachers are at present serving as principals in primary schools in the four language streams; and whether he will take steps to have them replaced by trained and qualified teachers.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are at present 88 untrained teachers serving as principals of primary aided schools in the Chinese medium. The principals of all Government primary schools and all aided primary schools in the English and Tamil media are filled by trained teachers. As and when the services of these untrained teachers serving as principals of primary schools expire on account of retirement, resignation, etc., they will be replaced by trained teachers.

However, in exceptional cases, untrained teachers may still be appointed principals in preference to trained teachers if they, through experience and proven ability, are considered better candidates than the trained teachers.