The government asked teacher - training colleges in England and Wales to recruit about 2,000 people to train as maths teachers this autumn . But it is not badly paid either .

A shortage of sirs TRYING to teach quadratic equations to a bunch of unruly teenagers is hardly the cushiest of jobs . So as unemployment continues to fall , it is not surprising that teacher - training colleges are finding it hard to recruit prospective maths teachers . But there are growing worries that the supply of teachers may be dwindling just as the number of school - age children is growing .

The government asked teacher - training colleges in England and Wales to recruit about 2,000 people to train as maths teachers this autumn . John Howson of Brookes University in Oxford , who has just been appointed as the government 's adviser on the supply of teachers , reckons they will end up with only 1,500, a shortfall of 25%. He also predicts shortfalls in other secondary - school subjects: 15% in science and 10% in languages . So far , though , there is no lack of people wanting to become primary - school teachers or to teach history or games .

The government wants to expand the number of places at teacher - training colleges by about 30% over the next five years . This is partly because the number of pupils is expected to rise during that period from 9.5m to about 10m . But it is also because more than half of all teachers are over 40, and increasing numbers are leaving the profession well before retirement . According to official figures , a minuscule 0.4% of teachers ' jobs are unfilled . In fact , Mr Howson says , these figures understate the problem of shortages: by January , when they are collected , many schools have decided to make do with whatever staff they can get , whether or not they are qualified in the subject they are teaching .

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An official survey of 1,615 students who received a postgraduate certificate in teaching in 1995 gives further cause for concern about the quality as well as the quantity of trainee teachers: 88% of them had earned only a " pass " in their first degree ( ie , lower than a third - class degree ) .

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It seems to be mainly men who are turning away from teaching . In primary schools , the proportion of female teachers has risen from 78% in 1980 to 83% now . Last year , for the first time , there were more women than men teaching in secondary schools . The government is worried about one possible consequence: that , with fewer male teachers around , many boys - - particularly those brought up only by their mother - - are not encountering " positive role - models " during their formative years .

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Teaching is not the best - paid job , especially for those with degrees in maths and science . But it is not badly paid either . Between 1980 and 1992, teachers ' pay grew faster than that of nurses , hospital doctors , police officers and most other non - manual workers , although their pay has been squeezed slightly since . Mary Russell , secretary of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers , says that it is not starting salaries ( at least 12,400 a year ) nor the pay of head teachers ( up to 55,600 a year ) that pose the problem: it is a lack of mid - level jobs which discourages people from joining and staying in the profession .

So there may be something in Labour 's proposal that a new breed of higher - paid " superteachers " be created . As well as continuing to teach , they would act as mentors to other , less - experienced staff . The government 's Teacher Training Agency is looking at similar proposals . But the national teachers ' pay agreement already gives schools a fair amount of leeway: for teachers with ten years ' experience , their basic pay of 21,000 a year can be increased by up to 4,400 to reward excellence or to retain staff in subjects where there is a shortage .

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According to Mr Howson , the key to avoiding a serious shortage of teachers is to improve the battered image of teaching which , he feels , is more of an obstacle to recruiting and retaining teachers than pay . Many teachers blame politicians and school inspectors for their profession 's poor image . The politicians and inspectors rightly reply that improving standards is the best way to raise any profession 's prestige , including that of teachers.y

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