§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that there are about fifty principal teachers of national schools in Ireland who have received paper promotion but have not received the additions to their salaries provided for their new grade; whether, under the rules of the Commissioners of National Education, thirty-six years' service is required to reach the highest grade; and, if so, what reason there is for the non-payment of the increased salaries?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for 1959W Mid-Armagh on 26th October. Teachers who have given highly efficient service can reach the highest grade in a much shorter time than that stated in the question.
§ Mr. O'SHEEasked whether the Chief Secretary is aware that the principal teacher of Abbeyside boys' national school, county Waterford, was on 1st April, 1910, promoted to the highest grade for efficient service; whether he is aware that rule 105 (a) of the Commissioners of National Education provides that teachers promoted to a higher grade shall receive the pay of the grade; whether he is aware that this teacher has not yet received his grade salary and that the arrears to 30th September last amount to £18; and whether he will call the attention of the Commissioners to the matter, with a view to the immediate payment of these arrears?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis teacher was promoted to the first division of the first grade from the 1st April, 1910, but he cannot at present receive the salary of this grade owing to the limiting numbers in the grade.
Captain CRAIGasked the number of places available during the past two years for girl candidates for the position of teachers under the National Board; the number of candidates who obtained first, second, and third division marks, and the number of each division called respectively; whether any, and, if so, how many, and for what reason were, first division candidates passed over, the amount per head paid to the training colleges for students, who are the heads of such colleges, and to whom are they responsible for the discharge of their duties; have these training colleges preparatory schools; the number of girls attending each; the amount charged per term; and if these girls get any preference?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Commissioners of National Education inform me that the numbers of places available during the past two years for women candidates for the position of teacher under the National Board were, in 1909, 377; and, in 1910, 389. The numbers of women candidates for entrance to training colleges who passed the King's scholarships' examinations of 1910 and 1911 were, in 1910, first division, 503; second division, 715; and third division, 263; and, in 1911, first division, 156; second division, 658; and third division, 441. The1960W numbers of the above candidates who were called were, in 1910, first division, 282; second division, 57; and third division, 4; and, in 1911, first division, 105; second division, 137; and third division, 3. Two hundred and twenty-one first division candates seem not to have been called in 1910, and 51 in 1911. The selection rests entirely, in the case of the colleges under local management, in the hands of the authorities of those colleges, and the Commissioners have no official information as to the reason for the non-selection of candidates. In the case of Marlborough Street Training College, which is under the Commissioners' own management, candidates who pass the King's Scholarship examination are chosen in order of merit. The amount of the grant to a training college for each woman student is £35 per annum. In addition, a bonus of £14 is paid for each woman who has completed two years' course of training, and has subsequently given two continuous years' satisfactory service as teacher. The principals of the training colleges are responsible to the managers of these colleges respectively. Each college has practising primary schools in connection, but the Commissioners have no statistics available that would enable them to answer this part of the question.