With reference to “Crisis, what crisis?” (TES March 2 2001), the articles would have been far more helpful if readers could have been informed exactly where the vacancies are situated.

After writing more than forty applications for a post, I received no more than seven replies, all refusals and I have never been called for interview.nbsp;

I was then informed by my local Job Centre, who knew nothing about any teacher shortage, that there were nationally some three thousand unemployed teachers in the UK. I simply abandoned my efforts and accepted a vacancy overseas.

My colleagues, here in this college, have similar stories of multiple applications and no interviews, so is there really a teacher shortage or not?

J Wells
Hail Community College
PO Box 2440 Hail
Saudi Arabia