§ 32. Mr. NICHOLasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that the suspension of the acting teachers' examination proposed in Circular 1,296 will not provide any solution to the problem of unemployed teachers who have completed their training-college course, since it does not decrease the number of teachers but, merely destroys the incentive to the 36,000 uncertificated teachers now in the schools to improve their status; and if he will consider the advisability of instituting at least three more examinations to give a fair chance to all existing uncertificated teachers who wish to take the examination to do so?
Mr. WOODThe unemployed teachers, who have completed their training college course, are unemployed because there are not enough vacant posts for certificated teachers in the schools to absorb them all. The problem of unemployment would be made more difficult if the Board were to recognise early in 1924 several hundred new certificated teachers to compete with those already seeking posts. The question as to the date on which the next certificate examination for acting teachers should be held, is at present receiving my consideration.
§ Mr. NICHOLAm I to take it that no opportunity is going to he given in the immediate future for these 36,000 teachers who are in posts, and who will not affect the unemployed trained teachers' position?
Mr. WOODThe hon. Member must not form any assumption for which I have not given ground. As I have said, the 700 question of the date is receiving my earnest attention. I hope to be able to fix a date, and as early a date as possible.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIf the teachers wish to qualify and risk the chance of unemployment, is not that their affair, and why should the Government prevent them from having this chance of qualifying for higher posts?
Mr. WOODThe matter is not really so simple as the hon. and gallant Gentleman suggests. First of all, the feeling is very far from unanimous, and also there is the point that I have some responsibility for the people who are already inside the teaching profession.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs it a close corporation?
§ Mr. NICHOLIs the proposal of the Department only to have one examination on some date to be fixed, or a series, or to reinstitute the examination regularly?
Mr. WOODThe only pledge I have given hitherto, or am in a position to give at present, is to have one.