SCHOOLS WITH TEACHER SHORTAGE

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Finance, Minister for Education and Minister for Health if he will list all schools which do not have the full complement of teachers setting out for each school the number by which the teaching staff falls short of the full complement.

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam: Our shortage of teachers is mainly in the English medium. As of 1st March 1985, we are short of 352 English medium teachers in primary schools and 300 English medium teachers in secondary schools and junior colleges.

Half of the primary schools and about one quarter of secondary schools and junior colleges have their full complement of English medium teachers. In the remaining schools, the shortage is fairly evenly spread out with an average of 2 vacancies for each primary school and 3 vacancies for each secondary school.