I have recently asked a Parliamentary question about the unemployment rate among recently qualified teachers. I am sure your readers will be as shocked as I was to learn that 2,140 (7.9 per cent) of teacher trainees in the academic year 2004-05 were known not to be employed in teaching posts six months after gaining qualified teacher status.
This seems such a waste of both the talent and enthusiasm of people who have put themselves through years of training in the hope that they would be able to put themselves to public service.
Robert Walter, MP House of Commons, London SW1
