Politicians have been urged to stop the “relentless negative narrative” around education amid claims it is putting people off entering the teaching profession.
The call from Fife’s education convener came as it was revealed 58 of the region’s 4,200 teaching posts remain unfilled.
This is despite an innovative campaign to attract people to the region, including a robust advertising and recruitment strategy which saw relocation packages offered to teachers willing to move to Fife.
The tactic is beginning to pay off and five probationers recruited through targeted work at universities in Belfast have now agreed to become ambassadors to promote the kingdom at career fairs.
Head of education Shelagh McLean said an increase in the pupil roll for 2017/18 meant the local authority had to try to find an additional 20 teachers amid a national teacher shortage, as well as fill all the previously unfilled vacancies.
“The ability to recruit these additional teachers to meet the commitment has been, and continues to be, problematic,” she said.
“There are significantly fewer teachers available within Scotland to fill our posts, which also has a consequence of reducing our available supply teachers to fill teaching posts in the classroom caused by staff sickness, training courses and other absences.”
Headteachers and officers worked throughout the summer holiday to convene interview panels and appoint to vacancies and all Fife teaching posts were advertised on the Times Education Scotland website.
“We are working with teacher training institutions, attending career fairs, offering a relocation package to teachers moving to Fife and specific work with colleges in Ireland is ongoing,” Ms McLean said.
A campaign focusing on attracting maths and technology teachers, of which there is a shortage, is also under way.
“Fife Council is continuing to explore all new and alternative routes into teaching,” said Ms McLean.
Councillor Fay Sinclair, convener of the education and children’s services committee, said: “There are currently 58 vacancies out of more than 4,200 teaching posts across Fife.
“There was a very detailed report at the education and children’s services committee meeting which highlighted the action being taken to bring that number down.
“Councillors also heard that 11% of teacher training places nationally were not taken up last year, which is why I am calling on my colleagues of all political parties to stop the relentless negative narrative which is putting people off entering the teaching profession.”
