§ 12. Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of teachers who (a) qualified in 1980 and 1981 and (b) obtained teaching posts.
§ Dr. BoysonAbout 21,000 persons successfully completed courses of initial teacher training in England and Wales in 1980, of whom 72 per cent. had obtained teaching posts in the United Kingdom by the end of October 1980. Corresponding figures for 1981 are not yet available.
§ Mr. MarksIt is dreadful to think that 28 per cent. of qualified teachers have not obtained jobs. Does the Minister not realise that the mere maintenance of the present teacher-pupil ratio at a time of falling rolls means lower standards? Would it not be preferable to give those teachers real teaching jobs rather than other jobs, thereby forcing other people on to the dole?
§ Dr. BoysonThe hon. Gentleman, who had a distinguished teaching career, rightly said that 28 per cent. of trained teachers had not found jobs. It is as well to remember that many of them have either taken other jobs or gone abroad. The 28 per cent. figure relates to 1980. Under the Labour Government, 31 per cent. had not found jobs by the end of October 1978, and in 1977 the figure was 40 per cent.
§ Mr. John TownendWill my hon. Friend confirm that there is still a shortage of mathematics and science teachers in many areas? Will he draw that fact to the attention of school leavers who are considering teaching as a career?
§ Dr. BoysonMy hon. Friend is correct. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has sent a circular letter saying that attention is being paid both to the quality of the training and the subjects in which the teachers are being trained. There is no point in studying subjects for which there is already a surplus of teachers.