ImmediateRelease 29April 2003
Commenting on theteacher number figures release today by the Department for Education andSkills, Doug McAvoy, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers said:
The Governmentsfigures are distorted. They must beviewed with a very large pinch of salt.Independent analysis* has found recently that of the Governmentsclaimed 20,000 increase since 1997 over 8,500 are in fact unqualified staff.
The question must be,how many of last years increase are also unqualified? It appears that just under 3,000 of the4,300 increase are either unqualified teachers or overseas teachers some ofwhom have qualifications which have yet to be recognised in this country.
I am deeply concernedby the implication that the Government has reached the limit of its ambitionfor increases in teacher numbers.Schools will not be celebrating if that is the case.
I am happy to welcomethe fall in vacancies but shortages still remain. What has to be asked is whether this fall is an effect of aslowing economy rather than the resolution of the underlying problem of teacherretention.
I most certainly donot celebrate the reported drop in supply teacher numbers. As qualified teachers they do a good job indifficult circumstances. Their uniquework needs proper backup and support not the threat of redundancy.
EN D S pr.33.03
For furtherinformation contact the NUT press office on: 020 7380 4706
*Research by JohnHowson published on the 22 April 2003 showed that of the 20,450 increase inteachers between 1997-2002, 8,510 were unqualified staff. He also foundthat an extra 10,972 teachers duringthat period were needed to keep pace with rising pupil numbers. His conclusion that the real gain between1997-2002 may have been only in the order of 968 extra teachers.