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School crisis feared over UK teacher shortage

Sunday, 30 August 2015 11:12 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 30 August 2015 11:12 AM ]

Teacher shortage in the UK is causing education worries. (file photo)

A shortage of teachers in the UK is sparking fears of an education crisis days ahead of the new school year in Britain.

The shortage of teachers translates into fewer subjects in larger classes by less qualified people, as new figures show the education system’s failure in recruiting enough school teachers, according to a Guardian report.

The figures revealed last week suggest there will be a 10% shortfall in trainees starting next month. It will be the third year in a row that the government has failed to hit the targets in its teacher supply model, the report added.

Data shows a 57% recruitment shortfall in trainee design and technology teachers and a 37% shortfall in religious education teachers. For music teachers the shortfall is 25%, the same as for geography, while for teachers in the key subjects of English and maths the shortfall is 12% and 11% respectively.

Now Joseph Ochieno, writer and commentator, believes in relative terms the issue of teacher shortage in the UK is a crisis, but not as dire as it may seem.

This is while the latest report indicates a number of factors including attacks on the profession by ministers, a rise in student numbers, a decision to stop paying off teachers’ tuition fees, and an improvement in the country’s economy have all contributed to the crisis.

According to the British daily, official wanted to recruit 778 trainee geography students for next month: they got 580. The system requires 1,279 design and technology teachers: it will get 550. The target for English teacher recruitment was 2,253, yet only 2,000 are in line to start their training. Religious education needs 650 new recruits: it is likely to have to settle for 410. And the figures go on.

The National Union of Teachers says the recruitment rate of aspiring new teachers onto training courses is just under 14% below what it was in 2010. Experts say the one area in which supply vastly outstrips the government’s targets is languages, and that is likely to be due to immigration from the European Union.

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