Four out of five schools receive no applications for advertised teaching jobs - study
Secondary schools are struggling to recruit teachers as a new study shows that four out of five schools surveyed received no applications for publicly advertised jobs.
With schools finding Irish the toughest subject to recruit for, no teachers applied for jobs at almost 80% of 131 second-level schools surveyed by the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI).
Schools are also finding it the most difficult to recruit teachers for Home Economics, French, Maths and Spanish.
- Almost every school surveyed (97%) experienced difficulties with recruiting teachers in last six months.
- More than half of the schools surveyed currently have unfilled vacancies — an increase from 47% in a survey carried out last April.
- Almost half (49%) of schools struggled to retain teachers over the last six months.
When asked what they believe is causing the recruitment and retention difficulties, most schools said they believe there are more attractive employment options than teaching for new graduates.
Unequal pay for teachers qualified since 2011, the unavailability of contracts of full hours and the lack of affordable accommodation were other reasons commonly cited by the schools surveyed.
Ahead of its planned strike action next week, the union says the survey's findings highlight the severe damage on the education system caused by a two-tier pay system.
The situation worsened alarmingly between last April, when the same survey was carried out, and December and January, when this latest survey was carried out, according to Seamus Lahart, president of the TUI.
The two most damning findings show that almost four out of every five schools advertised positions to which no teacher applied, while over half of schools have unfilled vacancies due to recruitment and retention difficulties. While schools are always innovative in dealing with challenges and deficits in provision, the level of this crisis is unprecedented.
"There is no doubt that teacher recruitment and retention problems inflict severe damage on the education system, with students often missing out on subject choices or being taught by ‘out-of-field’ teachers."
Graduates who might have chosen teaching as a career before are now looking at different options, he added.
According to the TUI, new entrants to second level teaching earn less than 14% on their initial appointment, and 10% less in the first ten years of their career than they would have prior the two-tier pay system.
"This means that within the first 10 years of their career, at a time when key life choices are made, they earn over €50,000 less. Over a 40-year career, they earn over €110,000 less."
TUI members are expected to strike on February 4. The union represents almost 19,000 members.
