Deaf pupils’ education in ‘crisis’ over teacher shortage

The "absolute crisis" facing the education of deaf children has been laid bare in new research that shows they are lagging behind their peers – while their teachers are being “crushed by the demands of the role”.The research, published today, reveals that four in five teachers of deaf children work extra hours to cope with rising workloads, while 63 per cent work the equivalent of an extra day a week just to keep up.Campaigners say the number of specialist teachers has fallen by 15 per cent in the past seven years, and that more than half of current teachers are due to retire in the next 10 to 15 years. They are calling on the government to introduce a £3.3 million bursary fund to help to train around 400 new teachers over the next three years.Lack of specialist teachers for deaf pupils Steph Halder, president of the British Association of Teachers of the Deaf (BATOD), said: “The introduction of a training bursary would help to provide more teachers to the profession, relieve some of the pressure and ultimately support deaf children to achieve their potential. “This survey highlights the increasing pressure dedicated teachers of the deaf find themselves under as they work tirelessly to meet the needs of deaf children and balance the demands of their role.”