HC Deb 13 July 1993 vol 228 cc824-5
11. Mr. Mans

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to give trainee teachers more time in the classroom learning practical skills.

Mr. Forth

The tougher standards that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced last year for the training of secondary teachers will ensure that postgraduate students spend two thirds of their time in schools. Our recent proposals for reform of primary teacher training also involve a significant increase in the time to be spent in schools.

Mr. Mans

Does my hon. Friend agree that good teacher training should be a balance between education theory and practical skills? Does he further agree that, in the past, too much attention has been paid to education theory and that, in the future, more attention should be paid to practical skills, which are best learnt in the classroom?

Mr. Forth

My hon. Friend has put succinctly the philosophy underlying the proposals that my right hon. Friend made recently. Although they are out to consultation at the moment, I believe that, on mature reflection, most people will agree with my hon. Friend that the balance between academic training and classroom experience has probably not been correct in the past. That is something which we will seek to correct. I hope that all hon. Members and people outside the House who are interested will take the opportunity to reply during the consultations that we have recently initiated on this important subject.

Mr. Win Griffiths

In accepting that there must be a correct balance between the theory of learning processes and the actual practice of teaching, does the Minister agree that his Department's idea for a one-year course for adults who will teach children at the most critical stage of the learning process is totally inadequate? If the majority view of the consultation that he is undertaking is that one year is not enough, will he accept that professional opinion?

Mr. Forth

Of course we will look carefully, as ever, at the responses to the consultation paper. The reality is that, at the moment, many graduates enter teaching, following a one-year degree postgraduate certificate of education course, with a degree that may have no relevance to the primary curriculum. It is odd that the hon. Gentleman has leapt to that conclusion without properly considering the strength of the suggestions made by my right hon. Friend in the consultation paper. When the hysteria shown by Opposition Members has settled down, it will be shown, on reflection and consideration, that our proposals are sensible and practical and in the interests of teaching and education.