Duchess of ATHOLLasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the number of additional class and specialist teachers needed for the raising of the school age to 15 and for complete reorganisation of the advanced divisions on the lines recommended in the Hadow Report; how long it would take to train the additional teachers required; the estimated cost of the additional staff, buildings, and equipment required; and the estimated cost of maintenance allowances for the additional school year?
Mr. STANLEYThe board's experience suggests that there should be little difficulty in securing the majority of the teachers required in about two years from the passing of an Act raising the school age to 15, especially as the number of teachers at present being admitted to the Training Colleges is about 20 per cent. below their capacity. As regards the first and last parts of the question, I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by attempting to prepare fresh estimates except in connection with specific proposals for legislation.