The Scotsman

‘Crisis’ in education as teacher jobs unfilled

- By KATRINE BUSSEY

A high school has advertised six times for an English teacher, prompting fresh claims the government is presiding over a “crisis” in education.

Aberdeensh­ire Council has advertised the post at Peterhead Academy on half a dozen occasions since July 2017 – but has so far received just two applicatio­ns, data released following a Freedom of Informatio­n request revealed.

As of 10 November, the authority had 47 vacant teaching posts that had been advertised between two and six times.

Meanwhile Stirling Council had a vacancy for a home economics teacher at Bannockbur­n High School since January 2016 that had been advertised three times – with no responses received to the first two adverts and only one applicatio­n from the third.

The Liberal Democrats, who asked Scotland’s councils about the number of teaching posts that were vacant which had to be readvertis­ed, said the situation was very worrying.

Education spokesman Tavish Scott spoke out after the party revealed 2,275 teaching jobs were re-advertised in the three years between 2014-15 and 2016-17.

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