§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland why the pamphlet containing the Intermediate Education Rules and Programme for next year was only issued on June 3; whether steps will be taken in future to secure that it be issued in April each year, according to the original practice of the Commissioners; whether the sub-division of school classes, under the regulations of the Intermediate Education Commissioners, has been the subject of frequent remonstrances from teachers; and why the Commissioners, who at first sought to avoid such sub-divisions, have, in spite of these repeated remonstrances, wholly abandoned this policy in their Programme for 1894?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-TyneThe Assistant Commissioners of Intermediate Education report that, as a matter of fact, the Rules of Examination and Programme for 1894 have been published this year nearly a fortnight earlier than last year. It is expected, however, that the pamphlet will be published in future at an earlier date. Remonstrances from some teachers have reached the Commissioners as to the sub-division of classes entailed by the introduction of the Preparatory grade. The Commissioners have not wholly abandoned the policy of making the Programme of the Preparatory grade consist of portions of the Programme of the Junior grade. They have adhered to it in cases where it was feasible and desirable.