The scheme is said to retain about 60% of graduates in teaching

Under the Teach First scheme, recruits begin teaching after 10 weeks and become qualified after two years on-the -job training in teaching and business.

But Peter Peacock described Tory support for the programme as "reckless, disastrous and shabby" cost-cutting.

The Tories said Mr Peacock's standpoint was "parochial and petty".

Teach First is designed to target deprived inner-city areas.

The Conservatives want it piloted in cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow, but in a Labour party letter to their education spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, Mr Peacock attacked the support as "reckless" plans to cut costs.

Labour would have been well advised to say they were open to all ideas Brian Taylor BBC Scotland political editor

The Tories have now hit back, saying that Mr Peacock was completely out of step with his own prime minister, who has backed the London scheme, and out of touch with the needs of Scottish schools.

Lord James told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "All that I was asking was that this matter should be properly and professionally considered and he is not even prepared to lift his eyes beyond the English border and simply won't consider ideas from outwith Scotland.

"I think that is too narrow-minded in Scotland's open-minded society."

But the minister insisted the criticism was not directed at the scheme itself.

He said: "What I've described as reckless, disastrous and shabby is the Conservative plans in Scotland to cut the education budget by �600m."

Mr Peacock has been accused of having "narrow" horizons

Mr Peacock conceded that he regretted if the comments appeared to condemn Teach First.

He added: "We are actually well ahead of what's happening in England and that's why we don't need to look at this particular scheme.

"We've been investing in our areas of deprivation, we've already considered the things that Lord James was asking me to consider and that's why we're putting extra staff into those schools and will put even more staff in."

BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor said: "Peter Peacock went into this all guns blazing in this attempt to prove the Tories were trying to cut corners and really it was a daft letter to send.

"Labour would have been well advised to say they were open to all ideas and always willing to consider ways to improve Scottish education, rather than trying to turn this into this full-scale attack."

Business skills

When the scheme was introduced in England, there were concerns that the business skills the recruits learn would see them leave the profession after just two years.

The scheme, introduced in London last year, is based on one which runs in the US.

Brett Wigdortz, chief executive of Teach First, said: "A lot of top graduates are probably very interested in staying in Edinburgh and would be interested in the scheme if we were up there.

"But we'd really have to see if the Scottish Executive or the government officials would be interested in having us move up there."