§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if, in view of the fact that the condition for the promotion of a principal teacher to second division of first grade for the triennial period ended 1903 is that at least two of the last three annual reports on his school be marked very good or excellent, he will say how many were promoted to this grade who had not at least two reports marked very good or excellent during the same period; and why the award very good is made to cover a period when it was not set down as a printed instruction to inspectors.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) During the triennial period ended 1903 the majority of the forms of annual report provided for the terms "very good" and "excellent" to indicate the progress made and the proficiency of the pupils; and it was made one of the conditions for the promotion of a principal teacher to the second division of the first grade that at least two of the last three annual reports on his school be marked "excellent" for 1345 at least "very good." In some of the forms of annual report, however, used by inspectors the term "very good" as applied to the progress of the school was not provided for. But, as explained on the 4th instant,† the case of any teacher whose promotion to this grade might be adversely affected thereby was specially examined with the view of ascertaining whether such teacher merited promotion. Two principal teachers were promoted to the second division of the first grade who had not at least two reports marked "very good" or "excellent."