§ 72. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether the assistant school inspectors about to be appointed by the Board from the ranks of the teachers in elementary schools will be of equal grade and standing and equally eligible for promotion with those who are appointed as inspectors from outside the teaching profession?
§ Mr. J. A. PEASENo distinction will be drawn between assistant inspectors appointed from the ranks of teachers in elementary schools and assistant inspectors, if any, appointed from outside the teaching profession in respect of grade, standing, or eligibility for promotion.
§ Mr. FLAVINMay I ask what are the qualifications required of the inspectors about to be appointed?
§ Mr. PEASEA circular has just been issued which defines exactly the qualifications. I cannot attempt to give the various qualifications. They would be rather long to give to the House in reply to a question.
§ Mr. FLAVINWould the right hon. Gentleman send me a copy of it?
§ 73. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Education how it is proposed to attract the best of the teachers in the elementary schools into the service of the Board as assistant inspectors if the initial salary does not exceed £200 a year; and whether he will consider the advisability of making the salaries of these new officers at least as high as the maximum salary of the headmasters whose schools will be subject to their inspection?
§ Mr. PEASEThe salary offered (£200, rising by regular increments to £400 or £500), the conditions of service, the prospects of promotion, and the provisions for pension, etc., seem likely to prove sufficiently attractive to secure for the Board's service the best of the teachers in the elementary schools. I have already received some hundreds of applications for these posts, and notwithstanding the restrictions as to age and experience imposed with reference to the vacancies recently announced, it appears certain that I shall have a very large field of candidates to select from. It is not practicable to make the minimum salary of every assistant inspector equal to the maximum salary of any head teacher in a public elementary school.
§ Sir P. MAGNUSWhat is the amount of the annual increments of these salaries?
§ Mr. JONATHAN SAMUELI should like to know whether these appointments are new appointments or whether they are to fill vacancies?