§ 29. Mr. K. Lindsayasked the Minister of Education how many ex-Servicemen have been accepted for emergency training colleges; how many are now waiting to enter such colleges; and how many will have to wait another 12 months.
§ Mr. HardmanUp to 1st May, 1947, 28,596 Servicemen had been accepted for the Emergency Training Scheme. Of these, about 14,000 had been released from the Forces but had not yet been allocated to a college. Of these, nearly 7,000 are not likely to be offered places within the next 12 months.
§ Mr. LindsayWould my hon. Friend pass on that information to the three Service Ministries, who are lamentably short of education officers; and will he point out that here are 7,000 men who will have to wait for 12 months, who would provide excellent material for the three Services?
§ Mr. HardmanYes, indeed they would, and no doubt this reply will be read by the Service Ministries in question.
30. Mrs. Manningasked the Minister of Education how many students from emergency training colleges have been appointed to senior, modern, junior and infant schools, respectively.
§ Mr. HardmanComplete figures are not available. I find, however, that out of 1,019 trained teachers who completed courses of emergency training in the last few months, 355 obtained posts in secondary, modern schools, 456 in primary, including infant, schools and 35 in nursery schools.
Mrs. ManningWould my hon. Friend direct the attention of the women, particularly, among the new people who are entering the emergency training colleges, to the necessity for working in these schools?
§ Mr. HardmanThis point has already been emphasised by the interim committee 1692 for the supply and training of teachers, and we hope we shall develop methods whereby women will be attracted to meet this very grave shortage in these schools.