7. Mrs. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what recent proposals have been made for changes in conditions of employment for married women teachers in Kenya.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe Kenya Government will abolish the special salary scales for locally recruited temporary and contract staff, including married women teachers, which were temporarily introduced in 1955. But the terms of serving officers will continue unchanged until their contracts expire or until the end of 1960—unless there is an earlier break in service—if they are serving on temporary terms.
Mrs. WhiteIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that suggestions have been made that there shall be discrimination in salaries against married women employed as teachers and that this has aroused much indignation in Kenya? Does not he agree that it is most undesirable, with the extreme shortage of teachers in Kenya, to do anything to discourage any woman who has the qualifications who might wish to teach?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI agree, but I also agree that the present step taken is the proper one in the circumstances.