26 January 1995

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1. Two intermediate grades, the General Education Officer IA (GEO IA) and General Officer IIA (GEO IIA) were introduced in the Education Service last year. These grades provide a means to reward and retain good Education Officers, including those performing duties as classroom teachers.

2. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has completed the first promotion exercise for the intermediate GEO IA and IIA grades. The promotion exercise for the GEO IA were decided by the Senior Personnel Board and those for GEO IIA were decided by the Personnel Board A of MOE. Both Boards have the same members. The chairman is Permanent Secretary (Prime Minister's Office), Mr Lim Siong Guan and the alternate chairman is the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Mr Koh Yong Guan. The members are the Permanent Secretary (Education), Mr Koh Cher Siang, Director of Education, Mr John Yip, Permanent Secretary (Community Development), Mr Er Kwong Wah and Permanent Secretary (Defence Development), Mr Teo Ming Kian.

3. The Boards decided to promote 2,456 officers with effect from 1 February 1995. 994 officers will be promoted from GEO I to GEO IA and 1462 officers will be promoted from GEO II to GEO IIA.

4. The Boards decided on the basis of recommendations of supervising officers. Officers who were eligible for consideration have at least five years' service and have consistently good performance. The following categories of officers will be promoted:

(a) Eligible officers in the basic GEO I and II grades holding appointments in the Senior Education Service such as Principals and Vice-Principals. Eleven Principals and 221 Vice-Principals will be promoted.

(b) Eligible officers in the basic grades holding Head of Department (HOD) appointments in schools for at least 2 years and recommended for promotion by their Principals. 1,240 HODs will be promoted.

(c) Eligible officers in the basic grades ranked among the top performers in each HQ unit or organisation by their supervisors. 162 officers will be promoted.

(d) Eligible classroom teachers ranked among the best performers in each school, junior college or centralised institute by the Principals. 822 teachers will be promoted. The Boards decided that there would be up to five teachers promoted in each school, depending on the number of teachers eligible in the school.

5. This is the first exercise to promote officers into the intermediate grades. The Ministry will be conducting the next exercise in October 1995 with more exercises over the next few years to promote deserving officers. Officers who are not promoted in this exercise will be considered in the next and subsequent exercises, depending on their performance. The Ministry will continue to work closely with Principals and supervisors to identify deserving officers for promotion.