CHINESE AND ENGLISH RELIEF TEACHERS (Figures of, and training scheme to improve teaching standard)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Minister for Education (a) if he will give figures of Chinese and English relief teachers employed in Government and Government-aided primary and secondary schools in 1970, and from 1st January, 1971, up to the latest convenient date; and (b) if he will consider introducing a training scheme during school holidays for those relief teachers so as to improve their teaching standard and enable them to become fully qualified teachers and take up teaching as a profession.

The Minister of State for Education (Dr Lee Chiaw Meng) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, as on 20th November, 1970, the latest convenient date before the schools closed for the December holidays, there were 269 Chinese medium relief teachers and 847 English medium relief teachers, both graduates and non-graduates, (totalling 1,116) employed in Government and Government-aided primary and secondary schools. Of these, 813 were in Government schools (701 in primary schools and 112 in secondary schools); and 303 were in Government-aided schools (86 in primary schools and 217 in secondary schools).

As on 28th February, 1971, there were 336 Chinese medium relief teachers and 856 English medium relief teachers (totalling 1,192) consisting of both graduates and non-graduates, employed in Government and Government-aided primary and secondary schools. Of these, 847 were in Government schools (684 in primary schools and 163 in secondary schools); and 345 were in Government-aided schools (242 in primary schools and 103 in secondary schools).

As to the second part of the question, Sir, relief teachers are employed in a variety of situations: for example, I give pure vacancies as against temporary vacancies created by substantive holders being on national service, on secondment to other Departments, on study leave, or overseas educative travel, on maternity leave, on extended sick leave and so on.

The great majority of relief teachers were employed to fill pure vacancies most of which were for trained English medium teachers. The number of English medium relief teachers remained consistently high because resignations and retirements from the English medium, compared with other language streams, were the highest. The yearly average number of 405 resignations and retirements of English medium teachers was the highest as compared with the next highest average of 78 Chinese medium teachers over the past six years. Last year, the Teachers' Training College organised an "Introduction to Teaching" Course. The Course aimed at giving relief teachers some valuable guidance in their work, especially in areas such as attitude to work, class control, and instructional efficiency.

The question of a special training scheme for relief teachers is under consideration in the overall review of the system of teacher training.

Mr N. Govindasamy (Telok Blangah): Mr Speaker, Sir, taking into consideration the fact that the pure and temporary vacancies will continue to exist for many years to come, may I ask the Minister of State for Education what concrete steps are being taken to do away with the method of employing unqualified relief teachers to man our schools in such large numbers, as quoted by him just now?

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid we cannot do away entirely with relief teachers. As I have explained, they are employed in a great variety of situations such as maternity leave and so on. The pure vacancies will be filled when graduates come out from the Teachers' Training College. Unfortunately, we have not got enough trainees of high calibre joining the T.T.C.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Sir, the Minister of State says that we cannot do away with the employment of relief teachers. May I ask him if the employment of unqualified relief teachers is a recent phenomenon, or has it been going on all the time? As far as I understand, the employment of unqualified relief teachers is a new thing. As such, I cannot understand how the Minister of State for Education can say that it cannot be done away with.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I say it cannot be done away with completely. The relief teachers' scheme has been introduced ever since women have maternity leave.

Mr Ho See Beng (Bras Basah): Can the Minister of State for Education tell us what are the terms and conditions of employment of these relief teachers?

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Relief teachers are employed according to the terms laid down and depending on their qualifications.

Mr Ho See Beng: Can the Minister of State give more information on this aspect?

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have not got the details with me, but if the Member for Bras Basah wants them, we can send them to him.

Mr Ho See Beng: We have had this relief teachers' system for quite some time. I am not convinced by the answer that up to now there has been no scheme -

Mr Speaker: Is the Member asking a supplementary question or is he giving a speech?

Mr Teong Eng Siong (Sembawang): (In Mandarin): Can the Minister of State for Education tell me for how many years has this system of relief teachers been in existence? Can the years of teaching as relief teachers be considered for qualification as experience when applying for the post of teachers?

Do these relief teachers have the benefit of the Central Provident Fund? If they do not have it, what is the reason for it? Even daily-rated employees have the benefit of the Central Provident Fund.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, first, I do not have this information in detail at hand. If the Member for Sembawang wants it, I can prepare it for him later.

Whether the relief teachers can be trained depends on whether they have the necessary qualifications. As I have said, the programme of training of relief teachers will be carried out under the whole review of teacher training.

As to the Provident Fund benefit, I think the Member has not read today's or yesterday's newspapers.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): If there is no proper scheme for relief teachers, are they going to be treated as daily-rated workers?

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: They are daily-rated, Sir. They are paid according to their work.

Mr Sia Khoon Seong (Moulmein): Is the Ministry of Education considering the introduction of part-time training as a way to minimise the problem of having to employ such a large number of relief teachers to meet the shortage of teachers in schools?

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have just now answered that we are carrying out an overall review of teacher training.