§ 30 and 31. Mr. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (1) if he is aware that permission has been given by the Education Department for the building of 137 private schools in Swaziland and that their sponsors have been warned that it appears most unlikely that any will receive Government aid for many years to come; and what proposals he has for remedying the shortage of schools in this Territory;
(2) whether he is aware that in order to absorb over the next 10 years 75 per cent of the school age population in Swaziland now outside school in classes of 30 some 600 teachers will be needed; and what plans he has for securing them.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. Bernard Braine)The schools maintained by the 1377 Government of Swaziland, and Government-aided schools operated by voluntary agencies, together account for about 80 per cent. of enrolments. These schools cater for more than three times as many students as those mentioned in the right hon. Gentleman's Question, and are receiving priority in the allocation of available funds from the Government. Regarding teachers, the teaching establishment of schools for Africans has grown from 600 to 1,000 since 1955, and is growing at the rate of some fifty to fifty-five posts a year.
§ Mr. DugdaleIs the Joint Under-Secretary aware that his very complacent answer will not give great satisfaction in Swaziland where, as is well-known, the education situation is very bad indeed? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is Colonial Development and Welfare Fund money now available which should be used to help private schools which were started because of lack of Government schools? Will not he do something to improve education there generally?
§ Mr. BraineI do not accept the implications in what the right hon. Gentleman has said. We agreed as recently as February to substantial rises in the salaries of teachers. In addition, a new teachers' training college built with Colonial Development and Welfare Fund money is to be opened early next year. It will enable us to train twice as many teachers as are trained at present.