Teachers (Hansard, 6 July 1961)

§ 33. Mr. Willey
asked the Minister of Education what was the increase during the years 1959 and 1960, respectively, in the numbers of full-time teachers employed in maintained and assisted schools.

§ Mr. K. Thompson
The increase in the number of teachers in full-time service in maintained primary and secondary schools, excluding special schools, was 6,000 in 1959–60 and about 5,000 in 1960–61.

Mr. Wiley
Does the hon. Gentleman remember that his right hon. Friend told me last week that merely to reduce the size of over-sized classes by 1970, which is not a very ambitious target, we need between 73,000 and 80,000 new teachers? Does he realise that we cannot possibly attain this target unless his right hon. Friend does something about the crisis in the supply of teachers?

§ Mr. Thompson
The hon. Member will probably be aware of our programme for extending teacher training colleges, the growth in the size of the universities, and all the other efforts that we are making to recruit additional teachers.

§ Mr. Willey
Does the hon. Gentleman realise that that will do no more than meet the deficiency that will arise over the year of intermission for the next five to six years?

§ Mr. Thompson
The hon. Gentleman must not be so pessimistic. We have much higher hopes than that.