Government needs to address the question of job security for teachers

REGULAR articles tell us there is a teacher shortage and various plans are afoot to recruit more teachers from elsewhere in addition to increasing teacher training places for new students (“370 teacher training places to ease crisis in education”, The Herald, February 15). One question which never seems to be asked is: why are teachers who are many years from retirement age leaving the profession? Clearly there will be a number of different answers to this question but I would suggest one important reason is lack of job security, as there are very few permanent contracts available to teachers looking for a career. Of course the supply list, an upmarket zero hours contract, whereby teachers can be called at short notice to go anywhere within a local authority area, provides paid employment and job experience for teachers, but invariably is short term and does little for pupil/teacher interaction which should form part of a rounded education experience.

Temporary supply teaching will suit those who can pick and choose work round other commitments but for those teachers who are looking for a full or part-time career, permanent posts are scarce. Short-term contracts do become available but with no guarantee of tenure at the end and with budget constraints, many local authorities are adept at ensuring such short-term contracts are carefully designed to avoid any hint of permanency and carefully avoid payment during holidays. It is not surprising that those who have been trained at the taxpayer’s expense start to look elsewhere for a career.