Cole-Hamilton urges First Minister to act on teacher crisis

At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP criticised the SNP government for presiding over a crisis in teacher recruitment and training, as he published new figures showing over 500 teaching posts had to be readvertised last year.

Figures uncovered by Scottish Liberal Democrats show that:

• Across Scotland, more than 512 teaching posts had to be readvertised in 2024/25.
• This included 66 teaching posts in Argyll & Bute, 47 in North Ayrshire, 38 in Shetland, 38 in Perth & Kinross, 25 in East Lothian, 25 in Fife and 24 in Dumfries & Galloway.
• The longest a currently vacant teaching post has remained unfilled is in Orkney, where a role has been vacant since October 2023.
• Similarly, a teaching position in the Western Isles has remained unfilled for 1 year and 3 months.
• A secondary school position in Angus has remained unfilled for 20 months, while a design and technology teacher position in Aberdeen has remained unfilled for 9 months.

Speaking in parliament, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“A leading education expert warned this week of a ‘persistent and worsening shortage’ of specialist teachers in Scottish schools.

“This isn’t just an education crisis; it’s an economic one as well.  

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats today are publishing new research. This shows that over 500 teaching jobs had to be re-advertised due to shortages.

“Posts have been left unfilled for as long as 2 years.

“In Kirkwall, the maths teacher post was re-advertised 14 times.

“Subjects like science, computing and technology are the very industries of the future.

“So, First Minister, why on earth are they being taught by history teachers, or being dropped entirely?”

He went on to say:

“I’m not sure the First Minister fully understands just how depressing this is for new teachers.

“To come out of training and head to Dubai or Darwin for a job, because they can’t find one here. It makes no sense.

“On the one hand, we have teachers who can’t find jobs. And on the other, subjects are being cut, due to a lack of teachers.

“One practical way we could fill these vacancies is to make it much easier for primary school teachers to requalify and go to work in our secondary schools.

“The General Teaching Council said this was ‘a very practical solution for employers to address specific recruitment issues'.

“Scotland’s young people deserve the right to study- whatever they want, wherever they are.

“So will the First Minister instruct his government to sit down with the Liberal Democrats, and teaching bodies, to deliver sensible solutions like this?”