Angus Council’s education convener has given an assurance that there will be a teacher for every class in Angus.
Sheena Welsh said the current situation was “far from crisis” despite vacancies at the start of the school year in primary and secondary schools.
There are English teacher vacancies at Brechin and Carnoustie while primary school shortages stack up tp 3.4 full-time equivalent posts.
Mrs Welsh said: “I can assure you we will be doing our best to recruit which is an ongoing process throughout the year.
“We will have no schools where there is not a teacher for every single class so we are in a very good position – far from crisis.”
Her comments followed an update at Angus Council’s children and learning committee on the current staffing situation.
Last year there was a staffing shortage of 16 teachers over the county’s eight secondary schools.
Montrose councillor and former teacher David May said: “It is concerning to see that there are vacancies in some of our primary and secondary schools at the start of the school year.
“Last year I commented that there was a staffing crisis both in our primary and secondary schools.
“Indeed in some primary schools we had head teachers covering classes for months and therefore, unable to do the job of managing their schools and it is their pupils, parents and their staff that suffer as well as the pressures and stress put on these head teachers.
“Last year, in some of the secondary schools such as Forfar Academy and Montrose Academy there were shortages of subject teachers such as in key areas like technical.
“This led to the schools reducing the teaching of the subject and no doubt less choices of courses for the pupils.
“The pupils then lose out and this is especially important if this is an area they want to specialise in.
“This may well have an effect on their job prospects and the skills we need in our society.”
Mr May said he did “not want a repeat of the staffing crisis in Angus we had last year”.
He added: “It is a fact that if we are starting the year with shortages and this is bad news as in the course of the year staff can move away, retire and leave and this can mean our shortages escalate.
“I certainly repeat what I said last year by calling on the education minister to ensure there are more people going into teaching colleges as this will lead to more staff being available to teach to cover vacancies, and more staff available to cover in another area of shortages – supply teachers.
“This is also badly needed for our staff.
“The solution to our shortages is really in the hands of the minister.”
