A SERIOUS shortfall in maths and science secondary school teachers in London has led to a recruitment drive in Portugal. The news follows recent surveys revealing that one in three British teachers want to leave the profession.
Job adverts appeared on the website of the Institute of Employment and Professional Training. The initiative stems from a collaborative effort between Portugal and Britain that aims to rectify the “imbalance” in the education sector in both countries, as well as enable successful applicants to develop a new career abroad.
In Britain, there are insufficient teachers to fill positions in inner-city schools, the reverse of the situation in Portugal, where, every year, 30,000 candidates fail to find a placement.
Portuguese teachers interested in working in Britain were able to apply for posts in Maths, Science, Design and Technology, Physical Education, and Art and Design. Candidates were required to have an excellent knowledge of spoken and written English. By Thursday of last week, about 50 applicants had put their names forward. In April, five officials and an English teacher will be in Lisbon for an information seminar about working conditions in London. Interviews will be conducted over the following days.
