Ombudsman criticises the plan which gave jobs to staff who were earlier sacked
The Ombudsman yesterday criticised education officials over the cost and effectiveness of an arrangement to hire supply teachers.
The watchdog said that despite the scheme's staggering cost of $19 million, it was still not in the best interest of students. Under the plan, laid-off teachers are given preference in hiring for supply work, and paid more than the normal supply teaching rate.
The Ombudsman urged the government to review the arrangement as the problem of surplus teachers in primary schools would extend to secondary schools in one or two more years.
The arrangement creates a category of 'special supply teachers' - paid more than normal ones.
It was introduced in March last year, after elementary schools were forced to lay off hundreds of teachers.
To help those teachers, schools were told last August to fill vacant positions by hiring only laid-off teachers, for a set period.