High school teachers to be moved to primary school posts

More than 6,000 schoolteachers are to be moved from secondary to primary education after the government published on Tuesday a list of educators it believes are surplus to requirements at high schools, while also identifying shortages at elementary schools.

The Education Ministry identified a total of 6,025 junior and senior high school teachers across the country, from a range of subjects, who are due to be transferred. The have been given until August 23 to express an interest in what positions they would like to fill at elementary schools before the ministry informs them where they will end up.

The ministry has identified a shortage of 3,876 teachers at elementary schools, particularly in languages, computing, arts and physical education. There are also 828 administrative positions that have to be filled. This means that some 1,300 secondary school teachers would be left without positions.

They are likely to end up in the government’s mobility scheme for public sector staff, where employees will receive 75 percent of their salary for the next eight months. If no new positions are found, they face dismissal.

The government aims to place 12,500 public sector workers in the scheme by the end of September and another 12,500 by the end of the year.