§ 104. Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Education whether he is aware of the growing shortage of teachers in Monmouthshire and the difficulty of finding suitable individuals with the necessary experience and qualifications to fill posts in spite of their being widely advertised, particularly in special subjects; and what steps are being taken to obtain suitable men and women and train more students to undertake these duties.
§ Mr. TomlinsonThere is no general shortage of teachers in this area. My Department is at present exploring68W various possibilities for increasing training facilities for non-graduate specialists, in particular a suggestion that one of the Emergency Colleges in Wales should be used for this purpose when it is no longer needed for the Emergency Training Scheme. University developments now in progress will have a substantial effect on the supply of graduate teachers of all kinds.
§ 105. Mr. G. Robertsasked the Minister of Education how many applications have been received by his Department for a one-year course for uncertificated teachers under Circular 114; how many have been approved; and what degree of importance his Department attaches to these courses.
§ Mr. TomlinsonOne thousand nine hundred and ninety four uncertificated teachers have applied for a special one-year course of training under Circular 114 and have been informed that they are prima facie eligible. I am satisfied that these courses will be of great benefit to the teachers who attend them, and through them to the children of the schools in which they are employed.