I NOTE that Children and Education Minister Sam Galbraith mentioned a shortage of modern language teachers when he launched the Government’s latest teacher recruitment drive (TESS, October 15).
In introducing tuition fees the Government must have deterred a number of mature people from going to university, some of whom would probably have wanted to become teachers after they graduated. I suggest that tuition fees be scrapped for all foreign language courses at university and for other shortage subjects.
The Government could also consider introducing the graduate teacher scheme in Scotland. The scheme is presently only available in England and Wales and provides an employment - based route into the profession.
(Mrs) Janet O’Brien Stevenson Road, Penicuik
