By Steve Bargeton, political editor

THERE WERE new fears yesterday of a teaching crisis in Scotland after figures revealed that almost 1000 teachers left the profession last year.

A total of 989 teachers retired during 2005—453 of whom took early retirement and 80 retired because of ill health.

The National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers said teachers warned that the number of teachers in their 50s was at an all-time high.

“We have to be concerned about the number of teachers who are retiring—they will obviously have to be replaced,” said NASUWT spokesman Pat O’Donnell.

“It’s also an indication that things aren’t right in the profession. Staff are tired of the lack of discipline and all the changes.

“The percentage of teachers in their 50s is at an all-time high.”

Mr O’Donnell said the McCrone deal on pay and conditions will cut the number of hours teachers spend in the classroom, meaning more staff are needed.

But yesterday ministers rejected the suggestion of a “retirement timebomb” among Scottish teachers.

The Scottish Executive has set a target of employing 53,000 by 2007 and there are currently 52,179 teaching staff working in Scottish schools.

“There is no retirement timebomb. We are aware of our workforce and we are increasing the number of teachers joining the profession,” said an Executive spokesman.

“We know how old our teachers are, so we can tell if a teacher is coming up to retiral age and we can plan accordingly.

“We have a teacher workforce planning exercise, which looks at the number of teachers coming into the profession, the number rejoining the profession after, for example, maternity leave, and the number that are leaving the profession.

“That gives us the number we need to recruit and allows us to set the intake into teacher education colleges.

“We are well aware of the age of our teachers and that is all taken into account in planning to ensure we are training enough new recruits.”

A Dundee City Council spokesman said, “A staffing exercise is carried out every year that matches available teaching staff to the requirements of every school.

“We are fully committed to the Scottish Executive’s Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT) programme that guarantees the probation year of employment to every teaching graduate in the country.

“We also attempt to continue the employment of as many Dundee-based NQTs beyond their probationary year.”