HC Deb 01 February 1968 vol 757 cc1536-7
18. Mr. Hunt

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether schools of computer programming are subject to registration or approval by his department.

Mrs. Shirley Williams

No, Sir.

Mr. Hunt

Surely the hon. Lady is aware that fee-paying computer schools are mushrooming all over the country? On the strength of glib promises of a quick road to top salaries students are being induced to part with large sums of money for courses which often prove to be quite beyond their capabilities and at the end provide certificates which are useless to them. Is not there a strong case for some sort of system of registration, in the interests both of students and reputable computer programming schools?

Mrs. Williams

Yes, Sir. This is a very fair point. But the hon. Gentleman will recognise that it is difficult for us to protect every single buyer. We have a system of recognition as efficient, and any student has a right to inquire whether an institution is so recognised. In order to be be so recognised, institutions must fulfil fairly stringent conditions about the nature of their courses. We are shortly to produce a bulletin indicating all the courses for computer programmers, systems analysts and the like in colleges of further education. There is a very fast-expanding provision for students in the State system, but there are difficulties about trying to prevent private enterprise institutions from starting on these grounds alone.