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 vote on Wednesday (April 10) to elect candidates of their respective school categories to the Council on Professional Conduct in Education (CPC), which aims to promote professional conduct in education.
A spokesman for the Education Bureau today (April 3) said 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.
"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 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 added.
Voters should vote for candidates of their respective school categories:
* There are three seats in the category of aided secondary schools. Voters from aided secondary schools may vote for a maximum of three candidates from aided secondary schools.
* There is one seat in the category of Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) and private secondary schools. Voters from DSS and private secondary schools may vote for no more than one candidate from DSS and private secondary schools.
* There are three seats in the category of aided primary schools. Voters from aided primary schools may vote for a maximum of three candidates from aided primary schools.
* There is one seat in the category of government primary schools. Voters from government primary schools may vote for no more than one candidate from government primary schools.
* There are two seats in the category of kindergartens. Voters from kindergartens may vote for a maximum of two candidates from kindergartens.
The categories of government secondary schools, DSS and private primary schools and special schools each have one seat in the CPC. As there is only one candidate in each of these categories, the candidates will be elected uncontested as members of the CPC; government secondary schools, DSS and private primary schools and special schools do not have to conduct voting on the voting day.
Voters are reminded not to choose more than the number of candidates specified in their respective categories of schools (aided secondary schools/DSS and private secondary schools/aided primary schools/government primary schools/kindergartens) 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 36 nominations. Among them, 22 are running for seats in the teacher-nominated category and 14 for seats in the organisation-nominated category.
Results of the election will be announced on April 26.