Teachers 'struggle to get jobs'

More teachers are employed since the last survey in October

Almost half of all newly qualified teachers have failed to win full-time permanent jobs, according to the General Teaching Council of Scotland.

A GTCS poll found that of 3,300 new teachers who qualified last summer, 48% do not have full-time permanent posts - with primary teachers worst affected.

Opposition parties branded the situation "a huge waste of talent" and said urgent action was needed.

The education secretary said the overall employment rate was 92%.

The survey by the GTCS, which is carried out annually, found that 11 months after completing college training and a one-year probation period in a school, 48% of teachers were in short-term or part-time work - or no teaching post at all.

Employment has nudged up since a previous survey in October but the Scottish Conservatives maintain that ministers should take urgent action.

'National forum'

Liz Smith MSP, schools spokeswoman, said: "This is a huge waste of talent, particularly as these probationers are highly skilled and have benefited from the top quality training which is offered by the General Teaching Council of Scotland.

"It is also worth noting that there has been a 13% drop in survey response numbers.

"There needs to be a national forum which brings together the GTCS - which is in the front line of equipping teachers with the right skills - and all those who are on the front line when it comes to employing teachers, especially directors of education in all local authorities."

She said the problem of "geographic mobility" - where new teachers do not feel able to move to where jobs are available - had to be addressed.

Fiona Hyslop, education secretary, said an overall employment rate of 92% took account of short-term and part-time work.

She said she anticipated that many more jobs would fall vacant as more staff retired.

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