§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has taken a decision on the number of students to be admitted to courses of teacher training in the Scottish colleges of education in session 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YoungerMy provisional views on the arrangements for intake to teacher training courses in session 1981–82 were contained in a consultative paper which was issued in March to the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Joint Committee of Colleges of Education in Scotland as a basis for discussion. After carefully considering the 'views expressed about the assumptions incorporated in that paper, and in the light of estimates by education authorities of their future secondary school staffing requirements, I have decided that the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training in session 1981–82 should not exceed 480 students for the primary diploma courses, 100 for the primary postgraduate course and 1,350 for secondary courses—including BEd courses.
I am now required to consult the governing body of each college before issuing directions regarding the number of students of different categories to be admitted to the college; and I am proposing to the colleges that for session 1981–82 the allocation of the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training should be as in the following table:
Primary Intake Secondary Intake College Proposed diploma course quotas Proposed postgraduate course quotas Proposed quotas Aberdeen 75 18 150 Craigie 55 12 — Dundee 40 10 95 Dunfermline — — 65 Jordanhill 120 22 565 Moray House 95 18 260 Roman Catholic Intake 95 20 215 Total 480 100 1,350 As was envisaged in my reply of 6 August 1980 to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Craigen)—[Vol. 990, c. 87–89]—there will be no further intake to Callendar Park or Hamilton colleges of education, nor will there be a separate intake to Craiglockhart college of education.
To ensure that in selecting students for admission to courses of secondary training the colleges have regard to education authorities' likely future needs for teachers of 425W individual subjects I am asking them, in allocating places, to give highest priority to applicants seeking admission to courses leading to a teaching qualification (secondary education) in mathematics, physics and technical education and lowest priority to applicants for training in biology, geography, history and modern studies. In regard to the remaining subjects, I am asking the colleges to give priority to those seeking admission to training in business studies, music and religious education.
On the basis of the most up-to-date information available to me, I am advising the colleges that about 30 per cent. of the total intake to courses of secondary training should be students in the subjects of highest priority, but that, in the event of that percentage being exceeded, I shall be prepared to increase the overall level of intake accordingly. In order to guard against the admission of an unduly large proportion of students in the subjects of lowest priority I am asking the colleges to restrict admissions in these subjects to no more than 5 per cent. of the total secondary intake. I am also emphasising to the colleges that they should consult the education authorities in their areas with a view to ascertaining whether any departures from this general advice might be necessary in the light of local school staffing needs.