Teachers may accept voluntary severance to 'avoid stress of the job'

TEACHERS could be keen to accept voluntary severance to get out from under the 'stresses and strains' of the profession, a union official has said.

Caroline Bowker from the NASUWT said there would be teachers already thinking about putting themselves forward for the voluntary cuts.

'With something like this there are clearly going to be a lot of teachers interested in getting away from the stresses and strains of their work.

'The ways of teaching have changed over the years. I would not be surprised if there were a lot applying,' she said.

But Mrs Bowker, pictured, raised alarms over the news that successful applicants were unable to return to work for the States for at least three years.