Teacher declares 'we may as well stack shelves in Tesco' in row with Education Secretary

26 April 2022, 20:26 | Updated: 26 April 2022, 20:29

'We may as well go and stack shelves in Tesco for a tenner an hour'

This is the moment a teacher blasted Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi in a row over pay, saying "we may as well go and stack shelves in Tesco".

Supply teacher Kate, from Hereford, said she was "so baffled by that load of waffle I can’t believe it" as she questioned Mr Zahawi's response when she raised the issue of wages for supply teachers.

"I'm just trying to work out what he's actually said, with respect," she said, adding she earns £100 a day, which works out at £23,000 a year.

She added: "Look at the amount of teachers who are leaving the profession because supply teaching is no longer an option, we may as well go and stack shelves in Tesco for a tenner an hour.

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"I don't know why in England there is a completely different rule, in Wales there is a minimum £142 a day, in Ireland there is a minimum set, in Scotland you get your main pay scale, in England supply teachers are being shafted and no one gives a damn."

It comes after a recent survey of teachers by the NASUWT teachers' union found that 7 out of 10 in England have considered resigning in the past year, with more than half citing pay as a key factor.

Mr Zahawi insisted "the national living wage has gone up... and that will help supply teachers", before adding that how much they are paid "depends on what the ask is" from each school.

He added that he wanted "to make sure that teachers enter the profession at £30,000 a year".