HC Deb 01 June 1921 vol 142 c1061W
Mr. MYERS

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any and, if so, how many of the officers responsible for the elementary education of prisoners are certified teachers or hold any educational qualifications that would be recognised in a public elementary school; and whether the attainments of these officers are usually considered satisfactory if they pass what is known as a Grade 5 test?

Mr. SHORTT

All clerks and school-masters have had to qualify before the Civil Service Commissioners in the following subjects:

  • Reading.
  • Writing from dictation.
  • English composition.
  • Copying manuscript.
  • Arithmetic.
  • Digesting returns into summaries.
  • Book-keeping.
It is considered that this is a sufficient standard for carrying out the education system laid down for prisons. The school-mistresses have all been reported on by the Board of Education as being sufficiently educated.