§ MR. P. J. O'BRIEN (Tipperary, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that two National teachers may be examined on the same papers of questions for First Class, and that one man gets First Division of First Class on taking a minimum of sixty-five per cent. and that the other, who has equally proved his efficiency in teaching, may take ninety per cent. and get only Second Division; if so, whether it is the intention of the Commissioners of National Education to continue such inequality; whether, when a National teacher is allowed to present himself for promotion at the Annual Examination, the Commissioners will consider the propriety of giving him the benefit of his abilities; and, whether the Commissioners will have the Examiners' names 798 at the head of the papers, as is done in all other public Examinations?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)The Commissioners of National Education inform me that for the future there will be a separate set of examination papers for candidates seeking promotion to the two divisions of the first class, and the questions for the next examination have already been prepared on this principle. The examination and promotion of teachers are founded on the conjoint considerations of desert as teachers and ability as scholars. If the hon. Members will have the goodness to move for it, I shall be happy to lay on the Table a Memorandum showing the procedure adopted in the preparation of questions for these examinations. This Memorandum will explain how it is impossible that the name of the author should appear at the head of the papers.