A plan to give teachers with higher qualifications more pay was welcomed by the teaching sector on Monday who said the proposals could give teachers up to €1,000 extra a month and will improve the quality of education.

The proposals are contained in a report by a committee set up by the government in April to look at ways to tackle the growing shortage of teachers.
The education ministry estimates that the shortage of teachers could be as high as 3% for primary and 12% for secondary schools in 2012 unless action is taken. It said too that teachers can earn 20% more outside the profession.
Walter Dresscher of the AOb teachers union told today’s Volkskrant that the recommendations confirmed what his organisation had been saying for years. ‘Higher salaries are needed to attract more good teachers’.
Although not officially published until next week, the report was leaked in the Volkskrant at the weekend. The paper says the committee’s recommendations will cost up to €1.5bn.