THE demand for supply teachers in the region is so great that there are not enough staff to fill school posts.

Primary and secondary schools in the area are crying out for workers as staff shortages reach crisis point.

Specialist recruitment agencies have been inundated with requests from headteachers who are desperate for supply teachers to cover sickness and unfilled posts.

The need for supply teachers has been highlighted in a report by The Institute for Public Policy Research.

The study showed that the growth of supply teachers and the agencies deploying them will put the private sector "at the heart of schools."

By 2014 as many as 50 per cent of teachers will be supplied.

Elaine Kay, of the National Teachers Union, in Newcastle, believes it could have a drastic effect on education.

She said: "The trend for supply teachers, highlighted by the report may be true, but in the North-East schools have difficulty getting supply teachers for short-term posts or just day release."

She added: "It may be that there's an increase in supply teachers for a number of reasons, one being the demands being placed on full time teachers are too much."

Step Teachers, an agency which supplies teachers to schools in the North-East, cannot get enough supplied staff to fill posts.

Recruiter Marios Georgiou said: "We have a great demand. Sometimes we have requests for up to five a day at certain schools.

"We are even receiving calls from India, Africa and other countries who have teachers willing to come and work in the region."