Teachers

HC Deb 02 June 1954 vol 528 cc1276-7

41. Mr. J. Johnson

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many education officers in Kenya have been seconded for rehabilitation work amongst those Kikuyu prisoners who have been placed in detention camps.

50. Mr. Coldrick

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many out-standing vacancies there are in each of the African, Asian and European divisions of the education department of Kenya for European teachers; how many European teachers have been seconded or transferred from each of these divisions to the police, prisons or army; and when these teachers will be returned to their normal teaching duties.

Mr. Lyttelton

The numbers of vacancies for male teachers in the three divisions are 16, 2 and 11, respectively. Ten teachers have been seconded to the Prisons Department for combined administrative and educational duties in emergency detention camps, but all of these should return to duty with the Education Department by the end of August. Two others have been called up for full-time duties with the Kenya Police Reserve, and it is not now possible to say when they will return to their normal teaching duties.

Mr. Johnson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a body of opinion in the Colony which is opposed to this kind of action? Does he think that when we are building a multi-racial society it is a particularly good thing to take away key teachers from, for example, the Alliance High School and other good secondary schools in the Colony?

Mr. Lyttelton

I cannot agree that it is reactionary to draft into the emergency detention camps 10 teachers who will be returned to the Education Department by the end of August. It seems a sensible measure to take.

Mr. Alpert

Does not my right hon. Friend realise that, important though rehabilitation in the detention camps is, it is even more important to ensure educational progress in the Kikuyu Reserve itself? Does he consider that the personnel who are available to supervise educational work in the Kikuyu Reserve are sufficient for the purpose?

Mr. Lyttelton

That raises another question. As I have said, the secondment is only temporary. Of course, permanent education is more important than temporary measures.