§ Mr. GIBBSasked the President of the Board of Education how many certificated teachers, who have been specially trained largely at the public expense, are at present unemployed; and what steps he proposes to take to so regulate the supply that it shall more nearly approximate to the demand?
§ Mr. RUNCIMAN:A Return made to an Order of this House on 2nd November, 1909, showed that, out of the 4,384 teachers who satisfactorily completed their course of training during the year ending 31st July, 1908, 4,069 (or about 93 per cent.) were known or believed to have obtained employment by 31st July, 1909. The Board do not yet possess precise information as to the teachers who satisfactorily completed their course of training during the year 156W ending 31st July, 1909, but they have reason to believe that no great difficulty is likely to be experienced by the great majority of trained teachers in obtaining employment within the year after they complete their course of training. There are, of course, more ways than one of adjusting supply to demand. One method is to increase the demand. The Board have taken some steps in this direction by the new requirements as to staffing, which have been inserted in the Code for 1909. These requirements have been made in the interests of the children, which must always be the first concern of the Board; but there is every reason to suppose that as their full effect begins to be felt they will lead to a considerable increase in the demand for trained teachers.