Plea to triple cash awards for top teachers
Cash awards for outstanding teachers should be tripled, most members of a working group agreed yesterday.
The teachers should also be given a maximum one-year holiday as a bonus under proposals being studied by the group under the Quality Education Fund.
Group members are finalising their recommendations, which are expected to be submitted to the Education Commission for discussion on January 25.
The Government last July released a consultation document to reward outstanding teachers and schools.
It was proposed that top teachers be awarded up to $50,000 in cash and subsidies, and two weeks' paid holiday.
Schools that excel at management, teaching and student support would be eligible for $200,000 cash from the $5 billion Quality Education Fund that was endorsed by Tung Chee-hwa in his maiden Policy Address in 1997.
Educators with more than five years teaching experience would be eligible for the outstanding teacher awards, while secondary schools, primary schools, kindergartens, special schools and night schools could apply for outstanding school awards.
But after consultation the group has revised the scheme and suggested the cash award to teachers be increased from $50,000 to $150,000.
The money could be spent on in-service training and recipients are entitled to enjoy a maximum of one year's paid leave, also for learning or other exchange programmes.
'Most members support the proposals. We are working out the details. We hope the proposals will be discussed in the coming Education Commission meeting,' one member said.
