A TEACHERS' spokesman in East Lancashire has criticised a government plan to introduce £5,000 cash inducements to encourage maths and science graduates to enter teaching.

Simon Jones, the NUT secretary for East Lancashire, acknowledged that the area is as badly affected by a lack of science and maths teachers, similar to the rest of the country.

But he said that he believes targeting of teachers in two subject areas ignores the overall crisis in recruitment at both primary and secondary schools.

He added: "The real problems lie with the inadequacy of teachers' salaries across the board. The Government should have the courage to address the real problems of recruitment, which are low pay, long hours, poor working conditions and continuing denigration of the profession. "What they are doing is going in for quick-fix, headline-grabbing gimmicks.

"Teachers and student leaders are likely to see this as a cynical step by Government, following their introduction of tuition fees shortly after they came into power. This is a short-sighted ad hoc policy based on crude supply and demand. In my opinion, it is further evidence of failed Conservative policies re-branded as Labour."

Education ministers said the move was being made because maths and science graduates are offered inducements when they enter other professions.

The Teacher Training Agency has said its existing recruitment programmes would be targeted at maths and science teachers with a new TV and cinema teacher recruitment campaign, to be launched at Christmas.

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