§ 38. Mr. Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why, out of the 27,000 teachers completing courses at colleges of education in the two years 1959–60 and 1960–61, 7,400 have now left the service.
§ Mr. CroslandAbout 70 per cent. because they got married, and the remainder mostly to move into posts in higher and further education or to serve for a short period overseas.
§ Mr. RidsdaleAs the figure of those leaving the service is so high, what is the right hon. Gentleman doing to stop the wastage? What is he doing to concentrate on quality rather than quantity?
§ Mr. CroslandIt is hardly my job to prevent students in the colleges going off and getting married and having families. I have not the slightest intention of trying to restrict the entry of girl students merely because they may go off and get married. As the hon. Gentleman mentioned quality, if he looks at the recent Answer I gave about the proportion of students, male and female, with either one or two G.C.E. A level passes he will see that there is a steady increase in the quality of the students.