ENG-1955 — Page 128

EDUCATION

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The Department conducts a considerable number of external examinations on behalf of examining bodies and Universities in the United Kingdom. The most popular of these is the General Certificate of Education of London University, for which there were over 600 candidates in the current year. Other examinations include the External Degree Examinations of the University of London, the technological examinations of the City and Guilds of London Institute, and commercial examinations of various British organizations. The London Chamber of Commerce Examinations attract as many as 300 candidates at each of three annual sessions.

The estimated number of teachers employed in all schools in the Colony during the year was 9,445. With the intro- duction in February of revised salary scales and allowances, affecting teachers in government, grant and subsidized schools, teaching has become an attractive career both for University undergraduates and students leaving school. This is reflected in the number of applicants for admission to the training colleges, which rose from 1,531 in 1953 to 2,349 in 1954, and to 2,558 in 1955.

To help meet the demand for trained teachers which will be created by the fulfilment of the seven-year plan for the expansion of primary schools, the Grantham Training College will be extended to accommodate 300 students by September 1956; the enrolment there in the year 1954-5 was 132.

In 1954, 14 graduates were awarded Diplomas in Education by the University, 149 students from the training colleges became certificated teachers on probation, and 142 members of the urban course of training for teachers qualified as primary school teachers for the purpose of the Subsidy Code. By the end of the year, 242 students were receiving full-time training and 552 in-service teachers were attending the urban and rural courses of training.

A Professional Teachers' Training Board is responsible for integrating the teacher-training facilities of the Govern- ment and the University.

TECHNICAL AND ADULT EDUCATION

Technical education is provided in three government institutions, two trade schools of the Salesian Society, and a number of private schools. The government institutions are