Newly qualified teachers are to be offered thousands of pounds extra to work in parts of Scotland where schools struggle to recruit staff.
The Scottish Executive has launched the bonus scheme, after it emerged that there are more than 600 unfilled vacancies across Scotland. Schools in rural areas in particular have struggled to attract teaching staff.
The deal, an extension of an existing smaller incentive scheme, will be worth £6,000 to graduates if they are flexible about where they go in their first year.
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It is hoped that some recruits will stay on in their schools after their probationary year, helping to address the problem in the longer term.
Last month, the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association warned that steps would have to be taken to avoid a shortage of teachers.