§ 68. Mr. Osborneasked the Minister of Education how many graduates in pure science from the universities of Great 46W Britain have become teachers in grant-aided schools in the last three years; how this compares with the numbers entering industry and other occupations; and whether he is satisfied that sufficient numbers are being recruited to the teaching profession.
§ Sir D. EcclesThe following information refers only to England and Wales.
The number of mathematics and science graduates admitted to professional training for teaching or entering maintained schools as untrained teachers was 964 in 1952–53, 917 in 1953–54 and 1,008 in 1954–55. I have no precise information about comparable numbers of graduates entering industry. The number of university first degrees and diplomas in pure science awarded was 5,246 in 1952, 5,211 in 1953 and 4,970 in 1954.
The number of mathematics and science graduates in maintained primary and secondary schools increased from 11,022 in March, 1952, to 11,287 in March, 1953, and 11,615 in March, 1954. These increases are very welcome though it is a matter of serious concern that enough of the more highly qualified graduates have not been entering teaching. Moreover during the coming years the schools will need a much larger increase in numbers if staffing standards in science are not to deteriorate.