Seventy teachers have been appointed to island schools for the start of the academic year - but the number of new posts is not known.

The appointments follow on from the government’s education department working with Locate Isle of Man to produce an article about teaching in the Isle of Man which was published in a weekly magazine.

Across the island, 33 teachers have been appointed to roles in primary schools and 37 in the high schools. Of the 70 in new roles, 25 are working for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for the first time.

However, when the Examiner contacted the department to check how many teachers were replacing ones who had left and how many were being appointed to new posts which would be an increase in the numbers of teachers in the island’s schools, we were told the information ’isn’t readily available’.

The department said that of the 70 teachers, 10 are in core subjects such as maths, English and sciences which the DESC said are ’traditionally more challenging to attract’.

In a statement, the DESC said the work between Locate and the teaching magazine ’generated a number of inquiries and as a direct result of the article two teachers have relocated to the island to begin their new roles in our secondary schools’.

Locate Isle of Man’s website outlines some of the potential benefits of moving to the island including a ’golden hello of up to £4,000 and a £200 per month housing allowance’.

The website also details how much teachers can earn in the island and describes the pay as ’roughly equivalent to that of the UK (depending on location)’.

It adds: ’After completing an induction year, teachers can apply to take on additional teaching and learning responsibilities. When you reach the top of the main pay scale, you could then be considered for a move onto the upper pay scale.’

Head teachers of secondary schools ’can be paid more than £90,000 in large schools’.

’The government also operates a generous contributory pension scheme rewarding length of service, salary and the amount you pay into the scheme,’ the website adds.

While it has not been possible to ascertain how many teachers are in new roles or have simply moved schools, a DESC spokesman said that ’14 teachers recruited were non-Isle of Man workers and new to the island, i.e. not born, educated or based on the island, some did placements here as a part of their university degree’.

They added that ’14 were either born, educated or based on the island before taking up their appointment’.

School leaders are currently taking industrial action over pay.