Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the number of under-graded teachers in the service of the Commissioners of National Education, and the number of these teachers whose present annual incomes are smaller than they would have been had the results system continued; how has this latter number been arrived at; and what amount is being annually withheld from these teachers owing to the inequitable financial arrangements of the grading system?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education could not say without an exhaustive examination of their records (which would take a considerable time) how many national school teachers are in grades that are numerically lower than their classes under the system of classification recognised prior to 1900. With regard to the latter part of the question, the Commissioners have no means of furnishing the information asked for, but do not admit that the new financial arrangements made in 1900 were inequitable.
Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that the Commissioners of National Education, in their rules published prior to 1900, guaranteed to all classed teachers in their service at that date certain emoluments known as class salary, results fees, and, in the case of principal teachers, residual capitation grant, and that official assurances were given in 1900 that no teacher would be made to suffer financial loss by the change of system; if so, why is it that certain highly-classed teachers are still receiving less than the estimated equivalent of the total emoluments obtainable under the old system; and is it the intention of the 600W Commissioners to pay these teachers the equivalent of the incomes they should be receiving according to the rules under which they were first appointed, or do the Commissioners seek to repudiate the obligation imposed on them by these rules in this respect?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that prior to 1900 the Commissioners granted aid to national schools (under certain conditions) by way of class salaries or capitation salaries to the teachers, results fees, and shares of the annual school grant. In March, 1900, all national school managers were informed that every teacher in the service on the 1st of April, 1900, would be awarded as an actual income such an amount of salary, or of salary and continued good service salary combined, as would be at least equal to the average income of the teacher from State sources for the last three years, and the promise was fulfilled. The Commissioners can express no opinion as to the cases of the highly-classed teachers referred to unless they are furnished with the names and other particulars. The Commissioners have no intention of repudiating any of their obligations.
Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that a large number of undergraded teachers are unable to qualify for promotion owing to the rule of the National Board requiring a larger average attendance than was necessary under the old system; and will he suggest to the Board the propriety of so far respecting the vested rights of these teachers as to allow them the opportunity of qualifying for promotion under conditions not more onerous than prevailed prior to 1900?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education have no information as to the number of teachers referred to in the first paragraph of the question. The present system of gradation is essentially different from the old system of classification in many important respects, and therefore an equitable comparison between them cannot be drawn within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question. The present "grade" salaries are much higher than the salaries of the corresponding "classes" under the old system. Nevertheless the averages required for payment of third "grade" and second "grade" salaries are not higher than for the old third or second class salaries; but for the 601W first grade salaries, which are very much in excess of the old first class salaries, and represent what would have been the emoluments of teachers of comparatively large schools under the old system, the averages required are necessarily higher.