asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a Government plan in Britain to ensure that: (1) every year 10 per cent of all teachers be given the opportunity to gain some business experience, (2) that all pupils should have at least two weeks suitable work experience before leaving school and (3) that every trainee teacher should have an appreciation of the needs of employers; and if she has similar proposals in each of these three areas.
Written Answers. - Work Experience Plan.
340.
The position in regard to work experience for pupils is that all vocational preparation and training programmes include work experience. It may also be a feature of the transition year option in some schools and in addition many schools arrange on an informal basis for visits to local businesses. I have no plans to introduce a requirement in this area in school programmes generally or to introduce a scheme of business experience for teachers.