One
of the largest education authorities in the country has warned the Government
that it might have to introduce a four-day week at some of its schools because
of a teacher recruitment crisis.
Paul
Lincoln, director of learning services for Essex County Council, has written to
Education Secretary David Blunkett warning him that a shortage of trained
teachers has left schools in the county dangerously short staffed.
Mr
Lincoln stated that there was a heavy reliance on temporary teachers in the
county’s schools, but even these were hard to find.
He
said that teachers were being employed who would not have even been short-listed
for positions two years ago.
Mike
Barnett, a spokesman for Essex County Council, said, "We cannot guarantee
we will maintain full-time education in all our schools. At any time one of our
schools is going to be hit by influenza and might not have the teaching
resources to cope."
By Ben
Willmott
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