HC Deb 28 February 1946 vol 419 cc418-9W
Mr. Sorensen

asked the Minister of Education the present shortage of primary and secondary school teachers; how many are now in training for short and long periods, respectively; and, approximately, how many are expected to enter the teaching profession from the Forces during the next six months.

Miss Wilkinson

The position differs, of course, in different areas, but the total teaching strength over the country as a whole is now the same in proportion to the number of children as it was before the war. About 17,000 students are now training for teaching in courses of two years or more and about 2,400 are taking one-year courses at Emergency Training Colleges. About 500 students will complete their courses at Emergency Colleges during the next six months, but as these-will all have begun their courses before the end of hostilities, very few of them will have come from the Armed Forces.