Primary Schools, Southwark (Hansard, 24 July 1987)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes (Southwark and Bermondsey)

I beg leave to present a petition on behalf of parents, relatives, friends, governors and staff directly concerned with the education of children in primary schools in Southwark. Fifteen hundred signatures are appended to the petition, which complains that there are a number of primary schools which are or have been without their required number of teachers for days, weeks or even in some cases terms; that local children are being deprived of their entitlement to education including the right to be able to go to school; that it is unacceptable for children to be sent home because of the shortage of teachers; and that the education authority and Her Majesty's Government have a legal and educational responsibility to bring this crisis to an end. Wherefore, on this last day of our term and of the school term, the petitioners pray that our honourable House urge Her Majesty's Government to ensure that there arc sufficient good permanent teachers to fill all teaching places at our primary schools, in particular by September 1987; ensure that sufficient teachers are trained so that we never again have shortages of the present magnitude; ensure that the administration, direction, and organisation of the teaching profession and of the education service is made a priority for the next academic year and that housing authorities are charged with the responsibility of providing sufficient accommodation to meet the needs of teachers; and ensure most importantly that the teaching profession is once again restored to a status and a position where young people are able, eager and ready to become teachers in our capital city. And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray etc.