Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / NORTHERN IRELAND
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

Friday, 10 March 2006, 06:46 GMT

NI education system 'in turmoil'

Northern Ireland's education system is in turmoil and its politicians must work together to get it back on track, a teachers' union leader has said.

The NASUWT's newly elected president, Arthur McGarrigle, has also called on the government to guarantee new teachers a job.

Mr McGarrigle also said the surplus of teachers in NI was "a waste of talent".

According to the union, only one out of five teachers who qualified in NI last year were able to find full-time jobs.

"The other four-fifths - what's happening to them, we are not quite sure," he said.

"Some of them are getting day-to-day subbing jobs, some are getting extended maternity leave subbing jobs.

"The rest of them, unfortunately, are either leaving teaching altogether or are leaving Northern Ireland to find a teaching job elsewhere."

Mr McGarrigle also said untrained staff were being employed to teach in classrooms.

He said the problems in Northern Ireland's education system could best be dealt with by assembly members going back to work together in a devolved assembly.




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Education 'must meet challenges' (08 Mar 06 |  Northern Ireland )
Plans for mixed schools refused (02 Mar 06 |  Northern Ireland )
End of 11-plus is 'unstoppable' (23 Feb 06 |  Northern Ireland )
'Year zero' move for NI funding (31 Jan 06 |  Northern Ireland )
Rise in teachers quitting posts (04 Jan 06 |  Northern Ireland )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
NASUWT
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©