HC Deb 11 December 1922 vol 159 cc2383-5W
Mr. W. JENKINS

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that, under the Regulations of the Board of Education, Circular 1,227, governing the recognition of war service of teachers for salary purposes, certain certificated teachers, who have qualified as such since demobilisation, are deprived of increments on the scale for certificated teachers as a result of their war service merely on the ground of not having qualified for admission to a training college before enlistment, though admitted, with the Board's approval, to a training college after demobilisation

Mr. WOOD

Generally speaking, I think that an expenditure in excess of £15 a head affords special occasion for inquiry, particularly in present circumstances, into its causes and into the value of the return received for it, and that the onus for justifying such expenditure falls on the authorities who incur it. I note the suggestion contained in the latter part of my hon. Friend's question, but am not prepared to make any definite statement at present with regard to it.

The figures are as follow:

without further examination; and, if so, whether he is prepared to take steps to amend the Regulation so as to allow teachers who voluntarily enlisted before qualifying for admission to a training college at least equal privileges to those allowed those teachers who delayed their enlistment until such time as they had qualified for admission?

Mr. WOOD

The circular, which was issued, after very careful consideration of the circumstances, indicates the extent to which the Board have authority to recognise war service for the calculation of teachers' salaries. It is directed to the case of men who were in definite stages of acquiring qualifications for employment as certificated teachers. A man who was not a pupil teacher or student teacher or uncertificated teacher and had not even passed one of the numerous examinations which qualify for admission to a training college cannot be regarded as falling within this class. Admission to training colleges without examination was a considerable concession.