Graduates not entering primary teaching
The Minister reported that 3–25 graduates annually from 1970 to 1976 did not take primary teaching posts; 1977 figures were unavailable, and no refund was required. He said the numbers were not significant, citing further study and other teaching work, and denied recent legal action to recover student loans.
asked the Minister for Education the number of graduates from primary school training colleges who did not take teaching posts in a primary school in the years 1970 to 1977; and whether they were required to refund their training costs or suffer any financial penalty whatever.
Comment on this
The information requested is as follows:— 1970 : 3; 1971: 11; 1972: 11; 1973: 22; 1974: 20; 1975: 24; 1976: 25.
The relevant figure for 1977 is not yet available. The persons concerned were not requested to make any refund.
Comment on this
Is the Minister not slightly alarmed by the rising numbers of people who are going through this expensive training course and not taking up teaching positions in our schools? Will the Minister indicate whether he is prepared to circularise those graduates who have left in this way in recent years and offer them positions in primary schools now?
Comment on this
I am not alarmed. The numbers increased as the numbers in training increased so that the percentage is not all that different. Secondly, it is not true to say that they necessarily are lost to teaching because some of them go on to do post-graduate work, further study, some of them get married and do not teach for the time being while others go to teach in post-primary schools. It should also be remembered that some go to developing countries. There are various categories and I submit the numbers we are talking about are not significant.