A LOCAL principal has warned that the challenges facing the education sector in the North “are still very real” after a worrying number of young teachers are reportedly emigrating to find work.
The Ulster Teachers’ Union revealed that an estimated 80 per cent of graduates from St Mary’s Teacher Training College and Stranmillis College have left Ireland in search of employment.
With unions discussing strike action over the unresolved pay deal dispute, St Michael’s College principal, Mark Henry, recognises that there are big challenges facing the education sector.
“I spoke at Prize Giving last year about the very significant challenges facing all schools and school staff [and] these challenges are still very real,” local principal, Mr Henry, said at this year’s ceremony.
“One of the most concerning challenges facing schools right now and no doubt into the medium term at least is recruitment.
“Our young people are not choosing teaching as a career in the numbers they used to and those that do are emigrating in large numbers,” Mr Henry added.
Pressure is mounting on the Stormont Executive to support local teachers, after it was revealed that they still have not agreed on a pay deal, unlike their counterparts across the UK.
The pay deal dispute is having a knock-on effect on the recruitment of young teachers, with many graduates opting to look for work elsewhere in the UK, or by emigrating further afield.
“In the South of Ireland right now there are 950 teaching vacancies that schools cannot fill and that figure is expected to rise to 3000 by this time next year,” Mr Henry said.
“Teaching is a challenging profession, however, it is incredibly rewarding and we need talented young people like the boys sitting in front of me now to be considering teaching as a career if the very high standard of education our young people receive across the North is to continue.”
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