§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the President of the Board of Education how many inspectors of elementary and secondary schools respectively have been appointed by the Board in each of the last five years; and how many of those appointed had had a practical teaching experience of at least ten years in the type of school they were called upon to inspect?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIt is now the practice of the Board to appoint inspectors of elementary schools in the first instance to the grade of junior inspector. It is contrary to the accepted practice of the Board to appoint junior inspectors over the age of thirty-five. This practice is only departed from on rare occasions, when it is desired to secure the services of a particular candidate with special qualifications. In view of the normal age of appointment (which is certainly under thirty) it will be obvious that a junior inspector cannot, as a rule, at the time of his appointment have had so much as ten years' experience of teaching in any school. During the past five years566W the following appointments of junior inspectors have been made:—
Year of Appointment. Number of Appointments. Number having experience in teaching in Elementary Schools. Number having 10 years' experience in teaching in Elementary Schools. 1906 … 1 — — 1907 … 1 1 — 1908 … 7 2 1 1909 … 8 2 — 1910 … 17 12 2 Total 34 17 3 In the present year five junior inspectors have been appointed. Three of them had experience of teaching in elementary schools spread, in the case of one of them, over ten years. During the same period thirty-live appointments have been made to the full rank of His Majesty's inspector of elementary schools. With one exception these appointments have been made by promotion of junior inspectors or sub-inspectors already in the service of the Board. It is not possible to say precisely how many years' experience of teaching in public elementary schools each of them had had, but in the case of eleven of them who were formerly sub-inspectors I may point out that they were required under the Regulations governing their appointments to be certificated teachers employed in a public elementary school or training college or a central class for the instruction of pupil teachers, and to have received their parchment certificate. The one full inspector appointed otherwise than by promotion had had more than ten years' experience of teaching in public elementary schools. The following statement shows the number appointed in each of the past five years, and the number of them who had had practical experience in teaching in elementary schools:—
567W
Year of Appointment. Number of Appointments. Number having experience in teaching in Elementary Schools. 1906 5 1 1907 8 5 1908 6 2 1909 5 4 1910 10 7 Total 34 19 The only appointment made to the rank of His Majesty's inspector in the present year was made by the promotion of a sub-inspector. All inspectors of secondary schools have the full rank of His Majesty's inspector. During the period under consideration five appointments have been made. These five inspectors had all had experience of teaching in secondary schools, which extends, in the case of three of them, over ten years or more. During the same period fourteen women inspectors have been appointed: Seven for the inspection of domestic subjects, one for the inspection of training colleges, two for the inspection of physical exercises, and four for the inspection of secondary schools. All these women had had experience in teaching the subjects they are called upon to inspect. The teaching experience of eleven of them extends over periods of ten years or more, and that of the remaining three over a period of three, six, and seven years respectively. I must add with regard to all appointments of inspectors under the Board of Education that they are liable to be called upon to perform duties of inspection, examination, etc., of a more varied description than the subdivision of them into elementary and secondary inspectors, respectively, would suggest, and that the Board accordingly require a variety of qualifications which are not referred to in the question nor discussed in this answer.