§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) qualified and (b) unqualified teachers are employed in the Falkland Islands.
§ Mr. RaisonTwenty-one qualified and two unqualified teachers are presently employed by the Falkland Islands Government. Up-to-date statistics are not available on the numbers and qualifications of other teachers resident in the various settlements.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last time that any assessment of the degree of illiteracy was undertaken amongst the population of the Falkland Islands; and what was the result of the assessment.
§ Mr. RaisonI am not aware of any such assessment having been undertaken.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many children of school 218W age there are whose normal place of residence is in the Falkland Islands; and in which educational establishments they are being educated.
§ Mr. RaisonA projection made in November 1982 of the 1983 figures indicated that there would be some 303 children of school age normally resident in the Falkland Islands; and that of these 112 would be at the senior school, 114 at the junior school, and 77 covered by the camp education system.
§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give details of the fees paid by parents in the Falkland Islands for the education of their children.
§ Mr. RaisonThe education of children resident in the Islands is provided free of charge by the Falkland Islands Government. Further education undertaken by children at the Thomas Peacocke school in Rye is funded from the bilateral aid programme. Fees paid by parents who choose to educate their children elsewhere are not a matter for Her Majesty's Government.