Commenting on the Public Accounts Committee’s report Retaining
and Developing the Teaching Workforce, Chris Keates,
General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union,
said:
“We have now had numerous official public bodies highlighting the
lack of effective action by this Government to address the deep
teacher recruitment and retention crisis. The Committee is to be
commended for the particular clarity and rigour of its analysis
in setting out the scale of the teacher supply emergency facing
the education system.
“The reasons for this crisis should by now be crystal clear to
this Government.
“Ever rising workloads, particularly driven by oppressive marking
and assessment regime and administrative tasks. Uncompetitive
salary levels as a result of years of cuts, caps and
freezes.
“Teacher burnout manifesting itself in spiralling levels of
mental and physical ill health.
“Deep anger and frustration across the profession.
“The Committee rightly highlights the unequivocal evidence
presented to it by the NASUWT that a key driver of the current
crisis in teacher numbers is the number of existing teachers
leaving the profession, often taking with them valuable years of
knowledge, skill and expertise.
“Unless the Government accepts the mounting evidence,
grasps the nettle and takes action to address effectively the
problems they have created the position will only deteriorate
further.”
