Hugh Reilly: Retired teachers should just let go

Apparently, the summer solstice, 21 June, is the longest day, but those of us who have to sit through a teacher retirement do on the last day of term would violently disagree.

At the annual cull of burnt-out staff, two things are inevitable. First, a departing teacher is eulogised to an extent that the bewildered audience is seriously concerned that a disturbing case of mistaken identity has taken place. Secondly, as the Sir who has reached his expiration date staggers off into the sunset clutching his Saga holiday brochure, everyone present knows it is only a matter of time before he will return to school in his reincarnation as a supply teacher.

According to information received by the Liberal Democrats, 933 retired practitioners performed supply work in the last academic year. Further, there are currently almost 2,500 retired teachers on council supply lists. Given that not all councils replied to the information request, the Grey Army roll-call is probably markedly higher. Initially, the much-agitated Lib-Dem education spokeswoman, Margaret Smith, showed great insight by correctly pointing the finger of blame at the employer of teachers, ie local authorities.

"With so many probationary teachers struggling to find work, councils should think twice before employing someone who has chosen to retire," she said. However, the temptation to find the Nationalist administration culpable for this dreadful state of affairs proved irresistible. "The SNP government have cut hundreds of teaching posts," she declared, unwittingly making the case that the study of logic should be mandatory for all MSPs.

In my opinion, it is immoral for retired teachers to be appointed when there are literally thousands of newly qualified teachers desperately seeking the decreasing amount of supply work on offer. To be fair, councils put procedures in place to hire recently qualified teachers but the old pals act ensures the bone is tossed in the direction of the old dog.

Sad to relate, I know of two former secondary school headteachers who are back in the classroom. By my reckoning, both enjoy a pension a few pennies short of 40k. I am aware of a principal teacher of geography who was given an early retirement package. He bade a tear-filled farewell on a Friday but by Monday had sufficiently pulled himself together to start a long-term temporary contract in a school in the same local authority.A principal teacher of history of my acquaintance received an enhanced retirement pension and promptly accepted a full-time post in a private school.

It gets worse. To my certain knowledge, an ex-deputy head of a comprehensive school was paid a daily rate of his former management salary to help senior pupils fill in Ucas forms, a task that in my own school is carried by the librarian and volunteer staff. If this were happening in Zimbabwe, we would call it corruption.Schools management are in the dock and I'm sure that even Donald Findlay would be uneasy playing devil's advocate to explain their defence. One plausible reason proffered for hiring retired staff is to ensure that classes are taught by experienced teachers to minimise the disruption to learning caused by a classroom teacher's absence.

A second explanation is that retired staff employed by their former school know the kids and are therefore less likely to encounter discipline problems. They are also au fait with the establishment's policies, procedures and physical lay-out. Further, there is an argument that choking off supply work to retired staff acts as a disincentive for fiftysomething classroom teachers to end their careers prematurely. Most chalkies retire on pensions of less than 15,000 and depend on supply work to finance holidays and kitchen refurbishments.

While all of the above arguments may have some merit, it begs the question: how can newly qualified teachers gain experience when temporary teaching opportunities are being gobbled up by those who have had their time in the sun?