HC Deb 14 November 1884 vol 293 cc1717-8
MR. SEXTON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether an Irish National teacher, desiring promotion to the second division of first class, must first satisfy his head and district inspectors that his school is in a highly efficient state, and then score not less than 55 per cent. in an examination on what are known as the "A papers;" whether a teacher desiring promotion from the second to the first division of first class must satisfy the inspectors that his school is in a still more highly efficient condition than in the former case, and must subsequently score not less than 65 per cent. in an examination on the identical "A papers" specified above; whether it is the fact that a teacher in the second class, who scores 65 per cent. or over in the "A papers" on his first examination in them, is kept in the second division of first class, and if he seeks to reach the first division of first class must not only satisfy the inspectors of the higher efficiency of his school, but must also, not sooner than the following year, pass another examination in the same class of papers (A) in which he has already scored a per centage high enough to qualify him for the first division; and, whether, in the case of such a teacher, the Board will dispense with the second examination, and in the year succeeding the first examination promote the teacher to the first division, provided he satisfies the inspectors as to the efficiency of his school?

MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN

The facts as to the necessary conditions of promotion are as stated in the first three paragraphs of the Question, and the Board of National Education could not consent to make the change suggested in the last paragraph. The two divisions of the first class are in reality, though not nominally, distinct classes having different rates of pay; and the fundamental principle of the different examinations is that every change of salary should be brought about by examination.

MR. SEXTON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the Treasury will sanction the payment to Irish National School teachers of the second moiety of results fees in cases in which the manager of the school, or any other person interested in public education, would advance the deficiency between the amount of local support contributed and the second or contingent moiety of the results fees?

MR. COURTNEY

There is some uncertainty as to the word "advance." If we are to understand it to mean the final payment, I have to say that the Commissioners of National Education think the suggestion in the Question, so understood, may properly be adopted under certain safeguards; and if they and the Irish Government make a representation to the Treasury in this sense, I do not foresee any difficulty in agreeing to it.