The native council attempting to recruit a trainer for greater than six years | EUROtoday

An area council has been attempting to recruit a trainer for a distant island main faculty for greater than six years, in line with new figures.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats mentioned information they uncovered exhibits that native authorities have needed to readvertise greater than 1,350 instructing posts within the final two years.

This features a main faculty trainer place on Papa Westray – one of many smallest islands in Orkney – which, on the time the request for data was made, had been vacant for the reason that finish of March 2019.

Figures launched by councils present 692 instructing positions needed to be readvertised in 2022-23, with an additional 665 posts wanted to be marketed once more in 2023-24.

The Lib Dems mentioned the info, uncovered utilizing freedom of data legal guidelines, exhibits Moray Council has needed to readvertise 252 instructing roles over the previous two years, whereas Aberdeen has needed to readvertise 206, Shetland 90, and Argyll and Bute 70.

Highland Council has needed to readvertise 62 instructing posts, in line with the info, simply forward of Dumfries and Galloway the place the full was 61.

In addition, the celebration famous that Western Isles Council has marketed a PE trainer function 9 instances, whereas a put up for a house economics trainer in Aberdeen was marketed six instances – with East Ayrshire Council additionally adverting a instructing put up six instances.

Lib Dem schooling spokesman Willie Rennie mentioned motion is required to “make teaching an attractive role if we are to tackle these shortfalls”.

He mentioned: “Qualified teachers are enduring years of short-term, zero hours contracts yet some schools are advertising roles over and over again without success.

“This data suggests that there are acute shortages in rural areas and in key subjects like maths.

“Terrible workforce planning has resulted in missed opportunities for so many young people and so many teachers too. If we want every young person to reach their potential, they need teachers who can inform and inspire.”

He mentioned the Lib Dems would introduce three-year packages for probationer lecturers “who are willing to take on hard-to-fill roles”, and would additionally usher in “teacher premiums” in a bid to “reward the best teachers in schools with the greatest need”.

However he warned: “No-one believes education is high up the SNP’s agenda. That’s why we need a change of government to get Scottish education back to its best.”

A spokesperson for native authorities physique Cosla accepted there are “long standing recruitment and retention challenges in remote, rural and island areas, and in some secondary school subjects”.

The spokesperson mentioned: “Local authorities work hard to fill vacancies to meet the needs of learners in all areas of Scotland, but there are challenges.

“For example, we know that newly qualified teachers tend to seek posts within the central belt of Scotland.

“Many of the areas which struggle to recruit teachers are beautiful and exciting areas of the country to work in, with unique opportunities for learning and development.

“Cosla and Scottish Government have committed to working together on medium and long-term joint workforce planning, taking into account the importance of responding to issues in a way which addresses differing local needs.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson mentioned: “The number of teachers in Scotland’s classrooms has increased by more than 2,500 over the past decade as a result of direct funding from the Scottish Government, with the number in permanent posts remaining stable at more than 80% over this period.

“However, we are working hard to ensure that teaching remains an attractive profession, with Scotland’s teachers continuing to be the best paid in the UK, and our teaching bursary scheme provides funding to career-changers wishing to undertake a teaching degree in the hardest to fill subjects.

“Ministers have been clear they are laser-focused on improving education and supporting Scotland’s teachers. That is why we are providing councils with £186.5 million this year to increase teacher numbers, and why ministers continue to engage regularly with local government and teaching unions.

“The Education Secretary also met School Leaders Scotland this week and agreed to host a roundtable with them, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, Cosla and other professional associations to discuss challenges around teacher recruitment in more detail.”