Unqualified and Temporary Teachers

HC Deb 06 November 1958 vol 594 cc1081-2

4. Mr. Ede

asked the Minister of Education how many unqualified and temporary teachers were in employment in schools maintained by local education authorities on the latest date for which figures are available; and what were the figures twelve months before.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

In March, 1957, 5,661, compared with 5,220 a year earlier.

Mr. Ede

Has the right hon. Gentleman any indication of what the trend has been since March, 1957, and can he say how he proposes to replace these teachers—by persuading them to accept training and qualification, or through the output from the training colleges?

Mr. Lloyd

As I am sure the right hon. Gentleman knows, this really falls into two classes—unqualified teachers, which is a problem of long standing, and is diminishing by wastage; and the temporary teachers, who are, in the broad sense, student teachers, who are doing a turn in the schools before their training begins.

Mr. Ede

Would the Minister mind answering my supplementary question?

Mr. Lloyd

I think that the tendency is to an increase in the number of temporary teachers, and I feel that that is rather a good thing.