§ SIR HERBERT MAXWELLasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether it is proposed to put teachers of Board Schools in Scotland on an equal footing with regard to retiring allowances with those who were teachers of parochial schools before the passing of "The Education (Scotland) Act, 1872;" and, if he has considered whether powers might be safely conferred upon School Boards in Scotland to grant superannuation allowances to teachers retiring after not less than 25 years' meritorious service?
§ MR. MUNDELLAThe general provisions of the Act of 1872 with respect to the position of teachers of public schools make it at once inexpedient and unnecessary to revive the provisions of previous Acts with regard to retiring allowances which were repealed by that Act. In answer to the second Question, the 61st section of the Act of 1872 provides that—
A school board may permit any teacher of a public school to resign his office upon the condition of receiving a retiring allowance, and the said hoard may award and pay to such teacher out of the school fund such retiring allowance as they shall think fit.Considering the age at which teachers are often appointed to the charge of public schools, I think that the term of employment suggested by the Question put to me would be insufficient in ordinary cases to entitle teachers retiring in the prime of life to claim pensions.