Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Brian Iddon (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 25 May 2006 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Teacher Retirement

Question: It is not simply a matter of good science teachers in the classroom, but of good technical back-up. Will my hon. Friend examine the training of technicians and technical assistants who help teachers in the laboratory and elsewhere in school? There are some problems with supply.

Answer: As ever, my hon. Friend follows these matters carefully. He is right to highlight the important role that technicians play. The support staff in our schools perform a valuable role but, all too often, we focus only on teaching assistants. We should applaud the work and contribution of technicians. We take my hon. Friend’s point seriously and the national network of science learning centres provides professional development for science teachers and technicians.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 446 c1612
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Teachers Training Science Technicians Chemistry Secondary education Retirement Physics
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk