§ 30. Mr. McSHANEasked the President of the Board of Education if he is satisfied with the present student-teachership system as a preparation for the teaching profession or whether, in view of the criticisms frequently made against it, he will institute an inquiry into this system as to whether it is productive of the best results for education?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Lees-Smith)In 1926 the Board announced their agreement with the view of the Departmental Committee for the Training of Teachers that intending teachers should, as far as practicable, receive continuous full-time education in secondary schools up to the age of 18. Since that date a large number of local authorities have discontinued their systems of student-teachership, and the number of student teachers has decreased from 4,615 in 1926 to 1,301 in 1903. In the circumstances, I do not think that it is necessary to institute a further inquiry.
§ Mr. McSHANEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, while the old pupil teacher system was bad because it gave too much teaching practice and killed any desire for study, the present system does not give an adequate amount of teaching practice to enable the authorities to 602 discover whether the student is suitable or otherwise for the teaching profession before he or she goes to the training college?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHYes, Sir, and it was on that account that the Board has discouraged the student-teachership system with the very remarkable results that I have indicated.
§ Mr. McSHANEIs it not true that the policy is preventing any effective teaching practice and that it should be increased before they go to college?