§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many training courses are provided for (a) nursery-infant teachers and (b) bilingual teachers for all 665W age groups, nursery-infant, primary and secondary, at colleges of education, and what expansion has taken place in these facilities in line with the recommendation made by the Council for the Welsh Language in paragraph 19 of its report on nursery education; and how many student places there were on these courses in the latest year for which information is available.
§ Mr. John MorrisInformation is not readily available on the number of professional teacher training courses by age range at institutions of higher education in Wales. Courses at Bangor Normal and Trinity Colleges may be taken through the medium of Welsh, and other colleges in Wales offer courses leading to the certificate of proficiency in bilingual education.
Bilingual provision within the initial training programme is not being reduced in proportion to the overall reduction in initial teacher training. There are currently more places available than suitably qualified bilingual applicants. At present, there are 304 students following bilingual courses of initial teacher training in Bangor Normal and Trinity College, of whom, 81 are following nursery-infant courses. In addition, there are a number of bilingual students on DipHE courses who may decide to proceed to teacher training. Information is not immediately available on the number of students currently enrolled at other institutions in Wales on courses leading to the certificate of proficiency in bilingual education.