World | UK
Watchdog says 24,000 teachers incompetent
As many as 24,000 "incompetent teachers" are working in state schools, the profession's watchdog admitted on Monday.
- Evening Standard
- Published: 00:12 May 6, 2008
London: As many as 24,000 "incompetent teachers" are working in state schools, the profession's watchdog admitted on Monday.
Keith Bartley, chief executive of the General Teaching Council for England, said urgent action was needed to retrain poor performers who had "more bad days than good".
Bartley believes they should be moved to other schools nearby, where they would undergo intensive retraining. He said his plan was aimed at implementing Schools Secretary Ed Balls's call in the Government's Children's Plan to remove teachers whose "competence falls to unacceptably low levels".
Bartley said: "We are not talking about a crisis. The issue is how do we energise people so that they don't drop into routine."
The Schools Department said: "We are clear that simply moving poor-quality teachers around is unacceptable and those who do not quickly improve will be helped to leave the profession."
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