§ 26. Major Tufton Beamishasked the Minister of Education the average time taken by her Department between receipt of applications for training as a teacher under the Ministry's emergency scheme and the interview of the candidate in question; and the explanation of the delays, running into several months, that have occurred in a number of recent cases.
§ Miss WilkinsonIn arranging interviews priority is given to candidates just released from the Forces or due for early release. For such candidates the average time between the date of application and the date of interview is six to seven weeks. For others the average interval is three or four months. The rate of interviewing has recently been increased, and well over 1,000 candidates are now 1377 being interviewed each week. The interviewing machinery had to be built up by stages in order to secure a reasonable uniformity of standard. The large number of applications from candidates in the priority categories has, I am afraid, caused some further delay for other candidates.
§ Mr. GammansWill the right hon. Lady say what is the average time between a candidate being actually accepted and his training commencing?
§ Miss WilkinsonIt is difficult to give an average, because it depends entirely on the colleges that become ready for use. In some cases we are able to get them ready quickly and in others it takes a great deal more time, so that an average would be meaningless.
§ Mr. LipsonWill the right hon. Lady consider increasing the numbers of interviewing boards by making use of the members of the teaching staffs of training colleges, who are well qualified to select candidates?
§ Miss WilkinsonWe already make use of their services, but I am quite satisfied that it would be a mistake to have any more interviewing boards than we have. A thousand a week quite covers the possible intake, and we have to consider that.
§ Miss BaconWould the Minister ask her Department to acquaint the applicants with the fact that there will be such delay, in order that they can arrange their lives a little better than they can at the present time?
§ Miss WilkinsonI have already given instructions to that effect and it is already being done. Each applicant is told, when informed that he is accepted, what the delay is likely to be.
§ 31. Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Education if she is aware that an uncertificated teacher, of whose name and address she has been informed, was notified on 2nd January that he had been accepted for training under the emergency scheme; and that, since he is teaching on a supply basis, he is paid a daily rate only and receives no money at all during school holidays; and if, in view of the financial hardship thus caused, she will expedite his admission to a training college.
§ Miss WilkinsonCivilian candidates are allotted to emergency training colleges according to the date of their application, and I should not be justified in offering a place to this candidate out of his turn. I understand that he is in the meantime being employed as a temporary teacher at the rate of a guinea a day.
§ Mr. DribergWith regard to the second part of the Question on the Order Paper, could my right hon. Friend give any advice or help to the considerable number of people who are in this rather unfortunate circumstance?
§ Miss WilkinsonAs I have already stated, this is one of the difficulties. We do tell people who are accepted that it may be months before they can enter a college owing to the priority classes having to come first, and also owing to the difficulties of getting colleges set up. They know that and, therefore, they must make their arrangements accordingly. If they cannot do so, I am sorry.
§ Mr. George ThomasCan the right hon. Lady say if it is now the policy of her Department to accept uncertificated teachers and inform them they are accepted for training under the emergency training scheme?
§ Miss WilkinsonI have a considerable number of requests in this House to do what we have done. Where intending teachers are accepted under the emergency scheme but there are not yet places for them, we allow education authorities to employ them as extra teachers until such time as they enter college. It is not really quite correct to call them uncertificated teachers. That has a technical meaning under the Act.
§ 34 Mr. Lipsonasked the Minister of Education if she will consider postponing the admission of men students to teachers training colleges till after the completion of their military service and allocating the places thus available for those who wish to take the shortened course under the emergency training scheme.
§ Miss WilkinsonIt is my intention to provide adequate facilities for the emergency training scheme, and at the same time to continue training colleges providing the normal two year course for men as well as for women students.
§ Mr. LipsonAt the present time these students are going to the training colleges at the age of 17, which is a very young age. Would it not be better if they had their military training first, and went in when they had had a little more experience of life?
§ Miss WilkinsonI think it would be better to put that question down after the Government's statement, when it is issued, with regard to the calling-up of students.