35. Mr. COWANasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he can state the interpretation put by the Scottish Education Department on the expression, not more than 60 pupils habitually under the charge of one teacher, in the code for day schools; and whether the same interpretation is to be applied to the expression, the present provisional maximum of 60 pupils per class, employed in the prefatory memorandum attached 1938 to the Regulations for the Training of Teachers, now upon the Table of the House?
Mr. ADAMSONThe expression "habitually under the charge of one teacher" has been in use in the code since 1899, and the Department have always interpreted it to mean that not more than 60 pupils should be present as a regular thing in any class taught by one teacher. For a time the state of the accommodation has made it difficult to enforce this rule in certain cases, and the sentence in the prefatory memorandum to which the hon. Member refers is intended as an intimation to education authorities that the rule will henceforth be strictly enforced.