An unprecedented number of newly qualified teachers have been offered posts in Dundee schools in an effort to end the city’s teaching crisis.
For years, primary and secondary schools have been forced to work with a crippling shortage of staff due to difficulties in attracting staff.
The difficulties have been experienced across the country, but Dundee City Council believes it has learnt from experience and taken steps to make a real difference.
Director of Education Michael Wood said he was “confident” the city would start the new school year with “all posts filled” and a “permanent supply pool for primary”.
That would be a staggering improvement on previous years, when numerous posts have lain empty and at secondary level, unqualified staff have been forced to take specialist lessons.
In July last year, in fact, Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie revealed that Dundee had the highest number of teaching vacancies of any local authority area in Scotland.
While a number of those posts had been filled by the time the political party’s figures were released, it is illustrative of the scale of the problem.
Director of Education Michael Wood said: “We have been very active in the recruitment process as in recent years we have run with far fewer teachers than we would have liked.
“We have just completed 105 interviews for primary and pre-school teaching posts as we want to see every one of our schools staffed to the maximum.
“All of our secondary schools are working to ensure that all vacant posts are filled ready for the start of the 2016/17 session.
“It is a much more positive picture than it has been for many years.
“It remains a very challenging issue nationally and across the UK, but we have learnt from the experiences of the last few years.
“We know that people accept posts but then pull back. There is an attrition rate, but we are confident that we will start the new school year with all posts filled and a permanent supply pool for primary.”
West End Liberal Democrat Councillor Fraser Macpherson said the efforts being made to alleviate the teaching shortage were welcome.
Nonetheless, he said he was aware of an increasing number of teacher absences in the city’s schools and raised concerns the issue could undermine the good work being done.
Mr Macpherson said: “Unfilled vacancies add to the stress of the teaching role for our staff.
“I am concerned that we are stuck in a vicious cycle, with absences leading to more absences and I believe we need to tackle this as soon as we possibly can.
“The recreation of a pool for primary is, however, very welcome.
“The teacher shortage has been a very great and concerning issue and I will keep my fingers crossed that the progress promised actually happens.”
