'Lost generation' fear in teacher training squeeze

TEACHER training faces a growing squeeze next year, with eight applicants chasing every place.

Liberal Democrat politicians have warned it could lead to a "lost generation" of teachers, and said numbers should be restored after falling by more than 2,000 in recent years.

The competition for training places is most acute at Glasgow, Dundee and Stirling universities, where there are ten applications for every place.

The Lib Dems' education spokeswoman, Margaret Smith, said: "These figures show that it has not deterred people from applying to become teachers.

"The SNP's plans risk the creation of a lost generation of teachers without jobs. Investment in teacher-training places is investment in the future of all Scotland's children."

Education secretary Mike Russell said recently that the fall in teacher numbers might not be restored, despite the SNP pledging to maintain them at 2007 levels.