§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the range of qualifications held by those teaching science at(a) GCSE level and (b) A-level; and if he will make a statement. [91277]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisDetails of the amount of science tuition time taught at GCSE and A-level for the academic year 1996–97 and the qualifications of the teachers are given in tables 17 and 18 of the DfEE Statistical Bulletin '1996–97 Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey', a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.
The Government have taken steps to encourage graduates with maths and science qualifications to become teachers. Following the introduction of financial incentives, applications to take Postgraduate Certificates in Education to deliver science are up by 24 per cent. on this time last year and for mathematics the increase is 37 per cent.