Board of Education, University Branch, and Ministry of Education, Teachers Branch:...

Registered files of the Board of Education, University Branch, and Ministry of Education, Teachers Branch concerning the post second world war emergency recruitment scheme and training of teachers.

The papers relate to policy decisions leading up to the scheme and its subsequent administration including the issue of circulars (including number 1652) and memoranda. In addition there are papers on special courses for uncertified teachers.

Two representative emergency college files have also been preserved.

Piece 37 contains the Ministry of Education's pamphlet No 17, entitled Challenge and Response which provides an account of the scheme.

File number order.

• Board of Education, University Branch, 1910-1944
• Ministry of Education, Teachers Branch, 1944-1961

Topics

Conflict

Education

Operations, battles and campaigns

In 1943 the President of the Board of Education appointed an advisory committee to consider how to meet the need for teachers which would arise after the war. In Circular 1652 of 15 May, 1944, the Board of Education published the committee's interim report which outlined a provisional scheme for the emergency recruitment and training of teachers and announced that they accepted the recommendations as a basis for action.

The scheme provided a one year intensive course of training for men and women released from war service to be followed by a two year part-time course of study. A one year pilot course was held at Goldsmiths' College from September, 1944, and the first emergency training college opened in 1945.

The whole cost of the scheme was provided by national funds. The Ministry of Education was responsible for the selection of candidates, their allocation to colleges and matters concerning grants. The Ministry of Works leased suitable requisitioned buildings for the emergency colleges and subsequently adapted, furnished and equipped them in accordance with standards drawn up by the Ministry of Education.

The colleges were run by the Local Education Authorities; to ensure uniformity a 'Memorandum of Arrangement between the Ministry of Education and Local Education Authorities' was issued.