HC Deb 26 July 1897 vol 51 cc1068-9
SIR M. BHOWNAGGREE (Bethnal Green, N.E.)

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education with regard to Clause XIII., section (a), of the proposed Directory of the Science and Art Department, as recommended by the recent Departmental Committee on Science and Art grants, whether the power given to a local authority acting under the Technical Instruction Act to nominate the teacher in science in schools under the control of the said authority is to be taken to mean the power of virtually appointing such teacher, or whether it only means the power, heretofore exercised by the Science and Art Department but now proposed to be transferred to the local authority, of prescribing the qualifications which in the opinion of the local authority must be possessed by such teachers?

SIR J. GORST

The critics of Clause XIII (a) of the rules proposed by the Departmental Committee appear to the Committee of Council to have mistaken its meaning. It appears intended only to preserve the right which the Technical Instruction Committee now have of appointing teachers in their own schools, i.e., in schools of which they are themselves managers. This will be made clear in the Directory when finally issued.