Targets set for teacher training

A target of almost 30,000 teacher training places in higher education institutions has been announced for next year.

The secondary intake is 17,240, an increase of 5 per cent over 2000-01, and the primary intake is 12,500, a drop of 5 per cent. There will also be 1,500 employment-based places for fast-track graduates, a rise of 840.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers demanded that all final-year student teachers get the £6,000 training salary, not just those on postgraduate certificate in education courses.