§ 26. Mr. Morleyasked the Minister of Education if he is satisfied that by 1953 there will be sufficient teachers in the schools under his jurisdiction to staff such schools so that no class shall exceed 40 on roll in primary schools and 30 on roll in secondary schools; and when he anticipates that there will be sufficient to ensure that no class either in primary or secondary schools shall exceed 30 on roll.
§ Mr. TomlinsonIt will not be practicable to require by 1953 that no class in a primary or secondary school shall exceed the maximum numbers prescribed by grant regulations. A reduction in the size of classes depends on an adequate supply both of school accommodation and of teachers, and for some years to come our main efforts must be directed to providing sufficient accommodation and teachers to meet the needs of the rising school population. I am, however, constantly seeking to improve the ratio of pupils to teachers, and in January, 1950, this was estimated to be 27.1 compared with 29.4 just before the war. It is not possible to forecast when there will be a sufficiency of accommodation and teachers to ensure that no class shall exceed 30 on roll.