§ 5. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation whether the scheme for sending United Kingdom teachers to Nigeria to conduct vacation courses is to be repeated this year; and whether it is proposed to extend this scheme to any other countries.
§ Mr. VosperYes, Sir. At the requests of the Governments of Nigeria, Tanganyika, Uganda and Nyasaland, vacation courses for teachers will be held in those countries during August. 880 teachers from these four countries will be attending the courses in which sixty-six United Kingdom teachers will take part.
§ Mr. ThomsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there will be a wide 732 welcome for his announcement that this scheme, which was so successful in Nigeria, is to be extended to other countries? Can he say whether there were applications from any other countries and whether they were turned down?
§ Mr. VosperThere is a suggestion—I cannot put it higher than that—for a similar scheme to be held in Northern Rhodesia, and I would be sympathetic to that. That is the only other application I know of; in fact, all the applications have been met to date.
§ Mr. BoydenIs the Minister in touch with the Sierra Leone Government on this matter? Is he aware that the local school authorities and the Fourah Bay College could make excellent facilities available for such courses?
§ Mr. VosperThis is a question of an overseas Government making application. I would agree with what the hon. Member says, but I suggest that we wait and have a further look at that point.