§ 27. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why the Burnham Committee has refused to accept licentiate membership of the Royal Institute of Chemistry as a qualification for teaching.
§ Mr. FowlerConferment of qualified teacher status is not for the Burnham 605 Committee but for my right hon. Friend. I am not satisfied that licentiate membership represents a standard sufficient to confer eligibility for qualified teacher status.
§ Mr. HillIn view of the shortage of science teachers, which the hon. Gentleman himself has stressed, is it not desirable that people with these qualifications, which are recognised outside the Burnham Committee as equivalent to a pass degree, should not be deterred from remaining in teaching?
§ Mr. FowlerWe accept that associate and graduate membership confers eligibility for qualified teacher status. What the Burnham Committee has refused to accept is that graduate membership of the Royal Institute of Chemistry should be regarded as the equivalent of a good honours degree for salary purposes.