§ Major ENTWISTLEasked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that the present system of grading teachers by average attendance is the cause of much dissatisfaction in the teaching profession owing to its unfairness; and if he will consider the alternative of grading in accordance with the number of scholars on the register?
§ Mr. FISHERThe reference no doubt is to the long established practice of many Local Education Authorities of grading the salaries of head teachers in accordance with the average attendance of scholars. This practice has very recently been considered by the Standing Joint Committee of representatives of local education authorities and of the National Union of Teachers upon the salaries of teachers in public elementary schools, and their Report, which has been presented to Parliament, adopts the average attendance basis for the purpose of the Provisional Minimum Scale. The matter appears to be one to be dealt with by the authorities and teachers in consultation, but I may say that the general question has often been considered by the Board and that for purposes of grants the difficulties of working the register basis outweighs its advantages.