§ MR. M. HEALY (Cork)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, since the intermediate education system was established in Ireland, it has been customary for teachers and pupils very generally to make the junior grade a four years' course by increasing the number of subjects at each year's examination during that period; whether the new 700 preparatory grade in effect recognises this practice and allows two examinations in that grade and two afterwards in the junior grade or four in all before a student is compelled to enter for the middle grade; and why the Commissioners, by making Rule 8 retrospective, limit students who pass this year in the junior grade to a two years' course, though all past students and all future students have had and will have a four years' course before entering for the middle grade?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education in Ireland Report that a student in his 14th year, who this year passes in the junior grade for the second time, provided he does not obtain an exhibition, is under no compulsion to proceed to the middle grade next year; he may allow two or three years to elapse from the date of the examinations in the present year before presenting in the middle grade, in which he would be eligible for awards; and that it is for a student himself so situated, or his teacher, to decide what course of study he may pursue. The Assistant Commissioners also Report that it is the case that some students in the past have presented for examination four times in the junior grade, but the practice has not been universal. The programme for the preparatory grade being of a far more limited character than that prescribed for the junior grade, the case of a student presenting twice in the preparatory and twice in the junior grade is not the same as that of a student presenting four times in the junior grade. The latter practice the Board considered undesirable.
§ MR. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, for the purpose of showing the effect of their new Rule No. 8 in practice, the Board of Intermediate Education in Ireland will, without delay, supply a Return in the following form: (a) number of junior grade students who passed in June, 1890, being in their 13th year on the 1st June, 1890; (b) like in their 14th year on the date mentioned; (c) the number of junior grade students who have sent in their names for the forthcoming examination in June, 1891, and who will be in their 13th year on the 1st June, 1891; 701 (d) like in their 14th year on said date; (e) the number of middle grade students who passed in June, 1890, and who had either attained, or were under, 15 years of age on the 1st June, 1890; and (f) the number of middle grade students who have sent in their names for the forth-coming examination in June, 1891, and who will either attain or be under the age of 16 years on the 1st June, 1891?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education Report, that the statistics required under heads (c) and (d) are as follows: — c) boys, 312; girls, 66; (d) boys, 687; girls, 181. The other statistics asked for in the question cannot at present be compiled, the time of the permanent staff of the Board being completely occupied with preparations for the forthcoming examinations.
§ MR. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether by No. 8 of the new rules of the Board of Intermediate Education in Ireland, teachers, and second year students in the junior grade, have been compelled, at six weeks' notice, to choose between entering for this year's examination, and thereby surrendering the chance of passing with honours in a future year, or to forfeit the whole result of last year's study by postponing their examination till next year; whether, as it now stands, the rule will, as regards next year and afterwards, treat students who this year pass a second time in the junior grade as if they had got the benefit of the "preparatory grade," which comes into force next year for the first time; whether the rule operates in an analagous way on students for the middle and senior grades; and whether, owing to this, teachers and students are placed in a position of great embarrassment, their plan of study for the past year having been based on the assumption that the existing rules would not be altered, and this rule being now published for the first time six weeks before the coming examination?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education Report that it is the case that some students are affected in the manner indicated in this question.
§ MR. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at what date the Board of Intermediate Education in Ireland propose to meet to consider the objections which have been taken to No. 8 of their new rules; and whether they will come to a decision at a reasonable date before the coming examinations for this year?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education report that it is expected that a meeting of the Board will be held next week, if not sooner.