Joe Wallen
A DRASTIC shortage of teachers has forced lessons in key secondary school subjects to be cancelled across Andalucia.
The Junta has taken unprecedented action by issuing an emergency call via text and email for teachers – or anyone with a teaching qualification – to provide cover.
Unions are blaming the crisis on a lack of foresight over the summer by the Andalucian Ministry of Education in replacing upcoming vacant roles.
Maths, Chemistry, Physics and IT are the subjects worst affected by the scarcity but there are reports of vacancies across all departments.
In Sevilla, the IES Politecnico secondary school went public with a plea to the Junta to fill a range of teaching and administrative positions.
The school board demanded that the Junta ‘guarantees the needs of our students and our education community’ by filling vacancies ‘immediately and definitely’.
Sonia Gaya, the Minister of Education denied that the problems had arisen due to a lack of planning.
An exhaustive and lengthy recruitment process for education professionals was instead to blame, she argued.
Regardless, Gaya assured schools that the authorities were doing all they could to fill empty roles and that education budgets for the region would be adjusted accordingly.
It comes after the Olive Press reported that a severe shortage in canteen staff across the Campo de Gibraltar meant that some schools were unable to provide lunches for their pupils.
