§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will set out the training given580W for the teaching of IT skills in the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (a) for IT specialists and (b) for general certificates. [98695]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeAll teachers should be competent in the use of information and communications technology (ICT). Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools' Annual Report has confirmed that most generalist courses of initial teacher training prepare trainees appropriately to make best use of ICT in the classroom and all newly-qualified teachers are required to pass a skills test in ICT before their qualification is recognised. It is also a requirement that candidates taking specialist courses of initial teacher training for secondary teachers of ICT must achieve degree-equivalent knowledge of that subject before Qualified Teacher Status can be awarded.
On 24 January, the Teacher Training Agency announced that it was making an additional £5 million available to support the training of teachers in ICT offered by schools, colleges and universities.