KWETB may hire retired teachers to fill some vacant posts in Kildare schools if it cannot recruit suitable applicants

The KWETB said it may seek to hire retired teachers if it cannot fill vacancies in some schools.

Chief executive Dr Deirdre Keyes said a systematic recruitment campaign is currently underway to hire up to 270 new teachers.

But she acknowledged that there is a teacher supply challenge, especially in some subject areas, and not just in Kildare and Wicklow but across the country as a whole.

Dr Keyes told a KWETB board meeting on July 5: “We’re putting all our efforts into the recruitment process.”

The meeting heard that many teachers can choose where they want to work because it is ‘a teacher’s market’ at the moment.

Dr Keyes added: “We’re doing our best to retain teachers as well. The recruitment process is open and transparent. Recruitment is a priority issue for us at the moment.”

The chief executive told board members: “The recruitment process is systematic, and very open.”

The meeting, which was held online, also heard that some teachers are cherry picking the best position that suits them and that many teachers may be moving from jobs in the Kildare and Wicklow areas to other counties.

Dr Keyes agreed that the KWETB may have to look at hiring recently retired teachers towards the end of the recruitment process if there are still shortages.

Cllr Tom Fortune asked if there was a Plan B if some schools are missing teaches when classes return in September.

Dr Keyes told board members: “We will continue to advertise, interview and recruit until we get to the end of the recruitment process.”

Cllr Peter Hamilton suggested there may be a high cost of living in some parts of Kildare which may be discouraging teachers from working there. Greystones was also cited as an example.