The issue of redundant teachers in aided secondary schools for this year has been resolved, the Secretary for Education & Manpower Professor Arthur Li told legislators today.

He said the number of teaching vacancies in aided secondary schools is about 910 for this school year. To date, the Education & Manpower Bureau has not received any further request for assistance from redundant teachers.

There are about 610 teaching vacancies in aided primary schools. About 20 redundant teachers have not been employed as Special Supply Teachers as they were not recommended in the professional interview.

About 20 other redundant teachers have declined the bureau's assistance for personal reasons.

Most graduates secure employment

The Institute of Education has produced 1,043 fresh, 406 secondary and 637 primary graduates through its full-time primary and secondary programmes this year. 

Professor Li said according to the institute's survey from July to mid-September, to which 954 graduates responded, 77.3% were able to secure employment, 9.3% went on to further studies while 13.4% were still in search of suitable employment. The findings were similar to those of another survey conducted last year.

In the previous five years, he said there have not been any surplus teachers in the overall supply and demand.

Professor Li said class reduction and teacher redundancies occur in individual schools for many reasons.

"There is no direct causal relationship between redundant teachers and the overall teacher supply and demand," he said.

About 307 untrained 'permitted teachers' have been recruited, and most of them are degree holders.

The bureau has urged all schools to give priority to recruiting professionally trained teachers.