APPOINTMENT OF SCHOOL VICE-PRINCIPALS (Numbers and effect)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education (a) how many senior teachers have been appointed vice-principals; whether he is aware that some of them are unhappy over the so-called promotion, and if he will respect their wish to continue teaching in the schools without penalty; and (b) whether he is aware that, as a result of such exercise, a number of schools have as at 15th January, 1979, been unable to draw up proper time-tables resulting in pupils having nothing to do during certain periods in the schools concerned, and what steps he will take to ensure that no more precious time is lost to the school curricula.

Mr Chai Chong Yii (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education): Sir, as at 18th January, 1979, a total of 122 officers were offered appointment as Vice-Principals. Of this number, 15 declined appointment and were not only released immediately but were posted back to their original schools. No officer will be compelled to accept appointment or suffer any penalty if he or she indicates a preference to continue teaching. However, it is incumbent on the Ministry to initially offer appointment to all eligible officers. The initial appointment of 122 Vice-Principals could not have had the effect of so disrupting schools that, as late as 15th January, 1979, they were not able to draw up time-tables. Of the 122, 22 remained in their same schools, 13 schools had two officers posted out as Vice-Principals, two schools had three officers posted out as Vice-Principals, one school had five, four were HQ officers and the remaining 52 schools each had one officer posted out. Seven of the officers who declined appointment have yet to be replaced.

Although a few schools faced problems in time-tabling at the beginning of this year, these problems were due to factors such as posting of pupils and choice of schools for immersion classes. The problems of time-tabling have since been resolved.