Newly qualified teachers are being interviewed for jobs they have no chance of obtaining, according to union leaders.

Newly qualified teachers are being interviewed for jobs they have no chance of obtaining, according to union leaders.

MSPs were told yesterday how headteachers are conducting interviews with dozens of probationers, knowing there is no likelihood of employment for them.

The leader of the headteachers' union said it was a "betrayal" of people who have made sacrifices to commit to the education system.

It was also claimed that a majority of councils are cutting education budgets, leading to commitments on minimum class sizes being ditched.

Last month, The Herald reported how fewer than one in four of the probationers trained last year in Scotland has found a permanent job.

Only 770 of the 3426 probationers employed by councils last year are now in full-time employment.

Even when temporary or supply contracts are taken into account, only 45% of last year's intake are in work.

The figures, compiled by the Times Educational Supplement Scotland, showed a reduction on the previous year when 32% of probationers had found permanent jobs the following year.

The General Teaching Council, in their own survey, found 74% of probationers found permanent work in secondaries in 2006/07, while in primary schools the figure dropped to 40%.

Speaking before the Scottish Parliament's Education Committee, Brian Cooklin, president of School Leaders Scotland, said: "Some refer to it as a cattle market. You go into a situation where you are sitting in a large hall sectioned off and they're called forward and you may interview 10, 15, 20 people a day for two to three days."

He said there was "no prospect" that teachers would get jobs at the end of the process. He added: "I think it's a tragic loss. It is a betrayal of people who have committed to the Scottish education system.

"It is a betrayal particularly for mature entrants because they have often given up another post and given up another job, on the back of advertising and the whole message we say about who we're trying to get into education."

Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said job opportunities will arise in time for probationers.

She said: "The jobs will come up during the course of the year and that's why we're saying there are 6000 due to leave the profession.

"If we take last year's survey and last year's experience to hand then 93% of those probationers that complete their probationary year will be in employment during the course of this year."