**********************************************************
All serving registered teachers, permitted teachers and government school teachers, including school heads, regular teachers and temporary teachers employed on a monthly basis, are urged to participate in the Council on Professional Conduct in Education (CPC) election next Thursday (April 19) to elect candidates to represent them in CPC, which is aimed at promoting professional conduct in education.
A spokesman for the Education Bureau said today (April 12) that the election would be held in individual schools in accordance with the guidance notes issued by the bureau. The voting is conducted on a one-teacher-one-vote basis.
"Teachers serving in more than one school have to opt to exercise their voting right in only one of the schools," he said.
The spokesman added, "Should they vote in more than one school, the ballot papers will be considered null. We will conduct random inspections to ensure the election is fair."
Teachers attending full-day courses run by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) may cast their votes in the polling station set up on the Tai Po Campus of HKIEd. "These teachers are not allowed to vote in their own schools to avoid double voting," the spokesman said.
Teachers who are eligible to vote are reminded to study the instructions on the ballot papers before casting their votes.
"Voters should not put down their names or any other marks of identification on the ballot papers. Otherwise, the vote will be considered void," the spokesman said.
In respect of secondary schools, there are three seats in the category of aided secondary schools, and one seat in the categories of government secondary schools as well as direct subsidy scheme (DSS) and private secondary schools respectively. As there are only two candidates being nominated to fill the three seats for the category of aided secondary schools, voters from secondary schools may vote for a maximum of four candidates only, including two from aided secondary schools, one from government secondary schools and one from DSS and private secondary schools. In respect of primary schools, there are three seats in the category of aided primary schools, and one seat in the categories of government primary schools as well as DSS and private primary schools respectively. As there are no candidates from the category of DSS and private primary schools, voters from primary schools may vote for a maximum of four candidates only, including three from aided primary schools and one from government primary schools. Each of these candidates should obtain a minimum of 500 votes to get elected.
There are two seats in the categories of kindergartens and special schools respectively. Voters from kindergartens and special schools may each vote for a maximum of two candidates. To get elected, each candidate from the category of kindergartens should obtain a minimum of 300 votes, while each candidate from the category of special schools should obtain a minimum of 200 votes.
Voters are reminded not to choose more than the number of candidates specified in their respective category of schools (secondary schools/ primary schools/ kindergartens/ special schools) or the vote will be considered invalid.
The CPC is a non-statutory body to advise the government on measures to promote professional conduct in education, to draft operational criteria defining the conduct expected of an educator, and to advise the Permanent Secretary for Education on cases of disputes or alleged professional misconduct involving educators.
The bureau has received a total of 32 nominations. Among them, 17 are running for seats in the organisation-nominated category and 15 for seats in the teacher-nominated category.
Results of the election will be announced after the completion of vote counting on April 25.
Ends/Thursday, April 12, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:01
NNNN
