19 jobs for 500 teachers
LESS than two dozen teaching jobs were vacant in the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) last November with hundreds of qualified teachers looking for work in Northern Ireland.
Nineteen full-time permanent teaching posts were unfilled in the WELB area at November 2, 2009. Eight primary level teachers, seven post-primary teachers, one primary vice-prinicpal and three primary principals were being sought at that date.
Judging from data from the General Teaching Council (GTC) and the Department of Education (DE) in 2008/9 there were 735 teaching graduates here and 500 without a permanent job.
The startling labour surplus was revealed by Education Minister Caitrona Ruane in response to a query tabled at the Stormont Assembly.