§ 1. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek to amend the regulations whereby the employment of unqualified teachers shall cease after 31st August, 1970.
§ Mr. MartenIn view of the great teaching experience of many of these so-called unqualified teachers and the utter waste of national resources in sacking them at the end of the summer term, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to reconsider his powers in this matter so that he should have a discretion, particularly where a local education auth- 592 ority is prepared to keep on these valuable teachers?
§ Mr. ShortA great many will be given qualified teacher status. Others will have the opportunity to take a course for mature students. But the time has come to move to a fully-qualified teaching profession.
§ Mr. Christopher PriceIs my right hon. Friend aware that if many of these teachers, whose particular virtue is being good at specialism—for example, music—have to move to the new instructor grade they will lose a lot of money? As some of them have good teaching abilities in these specialisms, may I ask my right hon. Friend to look at the instructor grade the next time he is considering Burnham?
§ Mr. ShortI will consider that. But payment for the instructor grade is a matter for Burnham, not for me.
§ Mr. MartenIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg leave to give notice that I will certainly try to raise the matter on the Adjournment.