A call to support local people who want to train to become teachers has been made by north-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald.
The move follows the Press and Journal’s report on trainee teacher Willie MacLeod’s evidence to Holyrood, where he outlined steps taken by Western Isles Council to recruit and retain trainee teachers from its local area.
Mr Macdonald called on education secretary John Swinney to do more to resolve the teacher recruitment crisis in the region at general question time in Holyrood.
He said: “The cabinet secretary clearly recognises the need for further action to address the recruitment crisis across the north of Scotland.
“Will he have further discussions with the University of Aberdeen about what more can be done to enable such imaginative and innovative local schemes?
“This could be done not just in the Western Isles and Aberdeen, but right across the north and north-east of Scotland, where recruiting and retaining trainee teachers is such a critical and pressing problem?”
Mr Swinney said he would discuss the idea with north-east universities and councils.
He said: “We have to be innovative and creative about the approaches we take to encourage people to join the teaching profession.
“I assure Mr Macdonald the Government will work closely and jointly with the University of Aberdeen and councils in the north-east of Scotland on solutions to deliver objectives we all share.”
Speaking outside the chamber, Mr Macdonald said: “Western Isles Council already operates a system whereby they pay trainee teachers to complete their training, on the basis they will then be committed to working at a local school for a minimum period.
“This is the kind of scheme which could be employed in Aberdeen and the north-east to ensure new graduates stay in the area.
“Aberdeen University is already involved in a number of initiatives aimed at boosting teacher recruitment in the north and north-east, but it is clear from the continuing crisis much more needs to be done.”