The Education Minister has been talking to head teachers to try to avert any recruitment crisis caused by Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Alex Allinson was responding to questions in Tynwald on Tuesday, which followed warnings from secondary head teachers that teachers were quitting because they wanted to be closer to their families off-island.

The minister said: ’We are keen in terms of the education service to work with head teachers.

’I am in regular contact with, particularly the secondary heads, who are facing this issue with STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects and we have been conversing over the last couple of weeks about the challenges they face and over the last couple of days about the resignations they are having to deal with.’

It follows warnings from two different head teachers about difficulties ahead.

Ballakermeen High School head teacher Adrienne Burnett warned schools were facing a ’crisis’ and that six teachers at her school had handed in their notice since the start of term.

Ramsey Grammar School head teacher Annette Baker, who retires at Christmas, last month warned that border restrictions would lead to education staff with family in the UK quitting.

Dr Allinson said recruitment had been an issue in education for a number of years, particularly in the STEM subjects.

’I know many people have found this year especially stressful and it is understandable some teachers and other key workers will re-evaluate their future plans,’ he said. ’To be separated from family, from partners and from loved ones has been difficult and sometimes unbearable.

Financial support measures were already in place to help recruit secondary teachers.

These included a ’golden hello’ worth £2,000 paid to newly qualified teachers at the start of their second and third years, while for non-resident teachers moving to the island mortgage contributions of up to £500 per month for two years were available, or up to £200 per month for rental costs - rent support could be increased up to £500 per month for teachers in ’shortage subjects’, for up to eight months.

Returning student teachers would also be likely to have student loans repaid in full after two years working in an island school.

The issue was raised by Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew) who was a secondary school teacher before he became an MHK.

He asked whether the Covid-19 pandemic and the dispute between Education Department and teaching unions had an impact or whether the issues were ’deeper’.

Dr Allinson said recruitment to the Isle of Man had always been an issue in education and in other front line sectors such as health.

’The department has met with head teachers and their representatives to find solutions to this if we can,’ he said.

’In terms of this current situation, I know that this has been a very difficult decision for those teachers involved and support them in making that decision.

’What we now need to do is ensure those posts are filled.’

Bill Shimmins (Middle) asked how long it would be before travel restrictions could have a knock on effect of forcing departments or even whole schools to close.

But the minister said there were ’no indications’ that travel limitations, on their own, it could lead to schools or departments closing down. But he said there was still a wider risk that pandemic could lead to closures for health reasons.

Technology could be used to compensate for any specific shortages or difficulties encountered, he added.