§ Sir J. LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the Commissioners of National Education have caused to be reserved for competition 387W between untrained principal and assistant teachers a percentage of vacancies for candidates for training in recognised training colleges for national teachers; and if a percentage of vacancies will also be reserved for junior assistant mistresses?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative and to the second in the negative. The standard of educational attainments required in the case of candidates for the position of junior assistant mistress is not of so advanced a character as that required in the case of candidates for qualification as untrained assistant teachers, and any reservation of vacancies for competition by the former would discriminate against better qualified candidates. At the same time junior assistant mistresses are already in a privileged position as compared with ordinary candidates not in the service of the Board of National Education in that they are not restricted as to the number of times they may compete for admission to a training college, and they have, moreover, an opportunity of qualifying as untrained assistants, on recognition in which capacity they come under the regulation as to the admission of such teachers to the training colleges.