Hundreds of teachers needed for new term
Hundreds of teaching posts across Scotland remain unfilled – less than two weeks before pupils return after the summer break.
There are around 670 teacher vacancies at primaries and secondaries across Scotland, it is reported.
Councils facing some of the worst shortages include those in the north-east such as Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. Highland and Glasgow also have higher numbers of unfilled vacancies.
There are shortages across the country in key subject areas such as science, maths and computing as well as in rural areas over the past three years.
There are also vacancies in music, languages, physical education and home economics.
The Scottish Government has proposed a number of fast-track teacher training options. Ministers have also offered bursaries to those wanting to switch career and teach in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.
Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS teaching union, said: “Excessive workload demands, increasing class sizes and substantial cuts in teachers’ real-terms pay have contributed to an environment where many people no longer view teaching as an attractive career option.”