CRASH PROGRAMME FOR TRAINING RELIEF TEACHERS

Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Education why there is still a large number of relief teachers, who are untrained, and if his Ministry is planning a crash programme to train such teachers.

The Minister for Education (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, as at 1st October, 1971, there were 1,115 relief teachers, of whom 246 were trained teachers. It is expected that by May 1972, when the next batch of teachers graduate from the Teachers' Training College, another 845 trained teachers will be added to the pool of relief teachers, replacing those who are untrained. Under these circumstances, Mr Speaker, Sir, it is unnecessary to conduct a crash programme to train relief teachers.