The number of sick days taken by teachers in the province has been criticisised by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

Days lost to sick leave is 40% lower among teachers in England and Wales, a figure highlighted by the audit office.

It says �4m would be saved if Northern Ireland's teachers matched that figure - the equivalent of almost 200 teachers.

The total bill for substitute teachers would pay the wages of 1,700 more teachers.

The auditors have also criticised the employment of retired teachers as substitutes instead of young unemployed ones, who would be cheaper and who need the experience.

Although employers were told 10 years ago to reduce the number of retired teachers being used, the number has actually risen.

Stress concerns

Next week, the Department of Education is due to reveal the findings of a survey of teachers' health and well being, which may provide some explanation as to why sick leave in Northern Ireland is so high.

One factor that is expected to feature is stress.

A report released on Wednesday revealed more than 13 million working days were lost in the UK because of stress last year, with public sector workers, including teachers, accounting for the biggest part.

Earlier this year, a leading teachers' union expressed concern over significant under-reporting of bullying of its members in the workplace.

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation said the bullying of teachers was an unacceptable and growing problem.