§ MR. JOHN MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What was the total cost for each of the five years ending 1887 of the Government Training College in Ireland, male and female department; what number of teachers, male and female, completed their training in the college in each of these years; whether the whole cost of their training was defrayed from public funds; whether any provision was made to secure their continuance after training in the service of the State as National school teachers; and, how many of the number, male and female, returned as trained in each of these years, are still in the employment of the National Board as teachers?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)The Commissioners of National Education inform me that the total cost during each of the past five financial years was as follows:—For males, year ending March 31, 1884, £3,829; 1885, £3,773; 1886, £3,957; 1887, £3,964; 1888, £3,776; and for females in the same years, £3,971, £3,919, £3,922, £3,856, and £3,699 respectively. The number of teachers who completed their training was in the year of training course ended July, 1883—males, 78; 1884, 87; 1885, 52; 1886, 42; 1887, 57; females, 89, 90, 43, 64, and 43 respectively. The whole cost was defrayed from public funds. A declaration must be signed by each Queen's Scholar before admission to training that he or she intends to follow the profession of teacher, and undertakes to adopt and follow such profession at termination of the training course. Of the number returned as trained in each of the five years ended July, 1887, the following are still in the employment of the National Board as teachers:—Course ending July, 1883, males, 61; 1884, 64; 1885, 42; 1886, 35; 1887, 33; and females, 60, 55, 32, 40, and 24 respectively. The last-mentioned numbers do not take into account teachers who, having become employed as teachers subsequent to the completion of their 45 training, are now out of employment; or those who are employed as substitute teachers in National schools; or who have gone to Army schools, Colleges, &c., or to other educational pursuits. Information is not available in several oases as to destination.