§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that teachers have been subjected to considerable strain by the extraneous duties in addition to teaching that they have been called upon by war conditions to perform and whether, in these circumstances, he will reconsider the order for compulsory opening of schools during the coming holidays; on what necessity the demand is made, and whether teachers were consulted in any way before the order was issued.
§ Mr. ButlerI am aware that war conditions have subjected teachers no less than other classes of the community to considerable strain. As my hon. Friend will see from Circular 1596, of which I am sending him a copy, no order has been given for the compulsory opening of schools during holidays. The reasons which make it desirable that in appropriate cases schools should remain open during holidays are clearly stated in the circular. The teachers were not consulted before the issue of the circular, which places no new duties on them but invites their co-operation.