HC Deb 26 July 1993 vol 229 cc602-3W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what efforts are being undertaken by his Department to secure an increased supply of approximately qualified teachers of technology in schools.

Mr. Forth

The shortage subject bursary scheme for teacher training has included technology since the start. The Open university's postgraduate certificate in education, which the Department has funded, will provide 100 training places a year in technology from February 1994. The school-centred initial teacher training scheme incorporates 100 places available for secondary technology teachers to be organised through the City Technology College Trust. Sixty 20-day designated courses of in-service training for technology will take place in 1993–94, with support under the grants for education support and training (GEST) programme, to enhance primary teachers' subject knowledge. GEST funding can be used for secondary in-service training in technology and other subjects. The Department's teaching taster courses have always featured technology amongst the subjects offered. Special courses have been offered to encourage highly qualified technologists facing redundancy to consider careers in teaching.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements will be undertaken by his Department to allocate appropriate capitation, resources, workshop facilities and ancillary staff to assist with the teaching of technology in schools.

Mr. Robin Squire

The Government make unhypothecated grant available to local authorities, which decide on their spending priorities between and within services, or directly to grant-maintained schools. In either case, it is for governing bodies to allocate their funds as they think best between different priorities, including technology. It is not for central Government to prescribe how much should be spent locally on any one area, but in 1993–94 we are making available grants for education support and training support in England for £179 million related to the implementation of the national curriculum generally, of which £30 million is specifically for information technology in schools. The Department is also supporting £24 million of expenditure through the technology schools initiative.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will outline the changes planned by his Department to(a) curriculum materials and (b) testing and examination arrangements following the production of the National Curriculum Council's interim report on the teaching of technology in schools.

Mr. Robin Squire

The present national curriculum requirements for technology will remain in force until revised ones are introduced in respect of pupils in key stages 1 to 3 from the autumn of 1995, and in key stage 4 from the autumn of 1996. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales will decide towards the end of this year how best to take forward the development of these new curriculum requirements and the arrangements for their implementation, taking into account the findings of Sir Ron Dearing's wider review of the national curriculum and its assessment.