§ 55. Mr. Pickthornasked the President of the Board of Education whether apart from any proposals that may emerge from 1512 the deliberations of the McNair Committee on the long-term policy for the training of teachers, he has any plans in mind for some emergency system of training to meet the needs of the immediate post-war period?
§ Mr. ButlerYes, Sir. The ordinary methods of recruiting teachers will not by themselves suffice to meet the needs of the immediate post-war period, and the outline of a supplementary scheme designed to attract to the teaching service men and women demobilised from the Forces and other forms of national service has been discussed with representatives of local education authorities, teachers, training colleges and university training departments, on whose co-operation and support I am assured that I can rely. The scheme, which will be financed by the Exchequer, aims at providing training for several thousand additional men and women a year. The Service Departments have indicated their readiness to give me all possible facilities, when circumstances permit, to take in hand the selection and recruitment of suitable candidates from the Forces. I am about to initiate conferences with local authorities, teachers and training institutions throughout England and Wales in order to secure that the necessary machinery is ready to be brought into operation immediately after the cessation of hostilities.