Local schools face daily battle to find substitute teachers to cover absences

LOCAL schools are facing an uphill battle every week when it comes to finding substitute teachers to cover staff absences.

Speaking about the frustrating issue Briege Daly, principal of All Saints Primary School in Omagh said she could easily spend four hours on the phone trying to secure a substitute teacher.
Mrs Daly explained that on one recent occasion she made 41 phone calls trying to get staff cover, and was still unsuccessful.

Similarly Sam Dennison, teaching principal of McClintock Primary School in Seskinore, said he too is finding it very difficult to get substitute teacher, as well as classroom assistants.

He explained, “I have spent the last couple of weekends making phone calls just trying to get positions filled.
“I actually got my wife, who is a retired nurse, to come in and volunteer in the school as a classroom assistant to fill that gap because I can’t get classroom assistants; it’s a huge challenge,fl he explained.
It’s an issue which is causing great concern for many local schools.

Marie O’Shea, chair of the Northern Committee of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), which represents 6,989 teachers at primary and post-primary level explained, “Principals are reporting to us that they are finding it very difficult to get responses to appeals for substitute teachers. It’s not uncommon for 40 phone
calls to be made and to still end up with no sub.”

Explaining some of the reasons for the problem Ms O’Shea said, “There is a shortage of teachers in the system but there are also a number of programmes that have been initiated which have taken some of the substitute teachers out of the system, and that is having an impact on schools being able to find substitute
teachers to cover short term absences.”

PRESSURE

She explained that during this time of year it is normal to have higher levels of staff absence due to winter flus, but said the pandemic has created additional pressure on schools with teachers being off sick with Covid-19 and self-isolating, or taking time off to care for their children who have Covid-19 or are self-isolating.

Ms O’ Shea explained this is not an issue that is having an equal impact on all schools in the North.

She said, “What we are finding is that it is hitting in waves in certain areas but not all areas are affected, there are some schools that are under significant pressure but there are some schools that are managing the
situation at hand and are coping at the minute.”

BY REBECCA MCGIRR