EXCLUSIVE: 95 teacher vacancies across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife
It affects pupils in primary, secondary and special needs schools across the area.
Forth News can exclusively reveal that there are 95 teacher vacancies in schools across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife - as pupils start to go back to school this week.
Figures that we obtained from the five councils in the region show that a huge number of teacher positions will be empty as pupils go back to classes from today.
In West Lothian there are currently 14 teacher vacancies, made up of four secondary school posts, and ten primary school posts.
In Midlothian there are 13 vacancies currently, made up of ten secondary school posts and three special needs teacher posts. That's compared to a total of 9 this time last year.
From job advertisments we established that in Edinburgh there are currently 23 vacancies. That is made up of 19 secondary school posts, and four primary school posts.
In East Lothian there are currently 9 teacher vacancies, that is made up of eight secondary school posts, and one primary school posts. That compares to a total of five vacancies at this time last year.
In Fife there are currently 36 teacher vacancies, made up of 29 primary school posts, seven secondary school positions. That's compared to a total of 28 vacancies at this time last year.
We spoke to Larry Flanagan, the General Secretary of Scotland's largest education union, EIS.
We asked him why there is so many vacancies, and what can be done to resolve the issue.