§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many registered schools there are in the British Solomon Islands; how many of these are mission schools; how many fully-trained teachers are employed in the registered mission schools; and if he will initiate discussions with the missionary societies to increase the number of trained teachers.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThere are 266 registered schools of which 252 are mission schools. Fifty-four fully trained teachers are already employed in the latter schools. The British Solomon Islands Training College which opened in 1959 is now taking 20 teacher trainees a year for a two year course, and 90 per cent or more of these trainees will serve in mission schools on the completion 59W of their training. Close liaison is already maintained between the Protectorate Government and the five missions principally concerned with education and all are represented on the Protectorate Education Advisory Committee. In the circumstances it does not seem necessary for me to initiate special discussions with the missionary societies to increase the number of trained teachers.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state, for each year from 1949, the allocations received by the British Solomon Islands from colonial development and welfare funds in respect of educational expenditure.
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Year Scheme No. (Prefix D) Description of Scheme Amount £ 1949–50 … 1266 (a) Training of Students in New Zealand and Fiji … … 38,000 1951–52 … 1621 Elementary schools in Malaita … … … … 4,500 1696 Establishment of six elementary schools … … … 6,000 1952–53 … 1801 (a) Training of students in Fiji and New Zealand … … 16,450 1953–54 … 961A Extension of Auki School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 9,407 1954–55 … 961B Development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 7,940 2365 Establishment of Elementary schools … … … 1,680 1955–56 … 961C Development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 7,360 2365A Establishment of elementary schools (supplementary provision). 5,954 2450 Construction of teacher training and technical college … 44,800 2653 Training of students overseas … … … … 5,900 2681 Participations in B.B.C. transcription Service for Schools 320 1956–57 … 961D Development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 762 1957–58 … 2365B Establishment of elementary schools (supplementary provision). 9,695 2450A Teacher Training College, Honiara (supplementary provision). 25,772 2653A Training of students overseas (supplementary provision) … 7,300 3244 Provision of lecture room and dormitory block at Kukum farm training school. 3,530 3265 Equipment for Mission Schools … … … … 1,000 3297 Further development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita. 17,095 1958–59 … 2365C Establishment of elementary schools (supplementary provision). 6,932 2450B Teacher and vocational Training College, Honiara (supplementary provision). 7,000 3297A Further development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 5,080 3652 Appointment of a woman Education Officer … … 5,250 1959–60 (to 18th February, 1960). 3297B Further development and improvement of King George VI School, Malaita (supplementary provision). 3,440 (a) These schemes were made for the joint benefit of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. The above table takes no account of schemes made for professional training. Nor does it include central schemes operated for the benefit of all territories in receipt of Colonial Development and Welfare assistance, e.g. central scholarship and training schemes. The expenditure of Colonial Development and Welfare funds represents only part of the expenditure in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate on education. The latter includes expenditure from the local budget to which Her Majesty's Government makes a grant-in-aid under Class II, 8 of the Civil Estimates.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAllocations of Colonial Development and Welfare funds are made to territories for their whole development programmes and no part of an allocation is set aside by the Colonial Office for a specific purpose such as education. As explained in the "Report on the use of funds provided under the Colonial Development and Welfare Acts", presented to Parliament in February, 1959, as Cmnd. 672, the Colonial Governments themselves originate proposals for the use of their allocations.
The following schemes relating to education have been made for the benefit of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate in the years shown:
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§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many teachers are employed in registered schools in the British Solomon Islands; how many are college trained; and what steps are being taken to increase the number of college-trained teachers.
§ Mr. Iain Macleod594 teachers are employed in registered schools. Sixty-six of these are college trained. A two year training course for teachers is available at the British Solomon Islands Training College and a number of scholarships are available at training colleges overseas.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many secondary school places there are in registered schools in the British Solomon Islands for boys and girls, respectively.
§ Mr. Iain Macleod75 secondary school places in registered schools are available for boys. There are no secondary school places for girls but some are available in schools in Australia and New Zealand.