MSP questions teacher vacancies in city schools

EVERY primary school teacher vacancy in Dundee this year is in the most-deprived parts of the city, it has been revealed.

Jenny Marra, the Labour MSP for the North-East, quizzed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Holyrood over why training places cannot be filled, when the most-disadvantaged areas in the city suffer from a lack of teachers.

The SNP leader has said closing the attainment gap is her “top priority”.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Ms Marra said: “Dundee suffered chronic teacher shortages last year. This year vacancies are in primary schools exclusively in the most deprived areas of our city.

“Council officials tell me there is significant under-recruitment to teacher training. Why is this when it has such an impact on children and their education?”

Ms Sturgeon said her administration was taking steps to address “particular shortages in particular areas”.

She added: “One of the initiatives that has been taken forward in the north east is to help train former oil and gas workers in teaching, to get them into our schools.”

There are 9.5 full-time equivalent vacancies for Dundee’s primary schools. They are at Camperdown, Dens Road, SS Peter and Paul, Rowantree, Glebelands, St Vincent’s, Hillside and Fintry schools, all of which are in deprived areas of Dundee.

A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “We are making significant progress and the situation has improved greatly from last year.”