Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that a large number of candidates who made application for admission into training colleges in August of last year, and who forwarded a booking fee of 10s., were not informed until last month that they could not be admitted; that it was then too late to apply with any chance of success for admission into any other college; and whether he will state what system is adopted in selecting candidates for admission into the training colleges?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe selection of persons for admission to a training college rests with the authorities of each college, subject to compliance with the general conditions laid down in the Board's Regulations. One of the points by which the college authorities are guided in their selection is the qualifying examination passed by the candidate, and the authorities therefore in many cases defer making their final selection until they have before 1621W them the results of the Board's preliminary-examination for the certificate, which are issued in June. I am afraid that at whatever date the selection might be made, it would be impossible to avoid disappointment to some candidates so long as the number of applicants for admission is greater than the number of places available. The Board's Regulations require that any fee charged by the authorities of a college to an applicant as a condition of placing his name on the register of candidates for admission must be returned to the applicant if the college is eventually unable to offer him a place. If the hon. Member can give me particulars as to any case in which a candidate has under these conditions been unable to obtain the return of his registration fee, I will see that it is inquired into.