DESPITE the efforts of the school’s management, Lochgelly High has begun the new session without a computer teacher.

It has meant that rector Carol Ann Penrose has had to take the decision to change one of the computer courses in this year’s programme.

She sent a letter to parents and carers of children who have been affected by the loss of teacher Graham Black, who indicated he was to take a job near his home in North East Fife.

It has led a parent to express his concern about the situation and a councillor is set to raise the matter at next week’s Fife Council Education and Children’s Services Committee.

Ms Penrose said in her letter: “Computing is a shortage subject and nationally schools struggle to recruit.

“We have advertised twice and are advertising again for a computer teacher but received no applicants from our adverts. Given the need for certificate classes to be engaged in working on their curriculum as soon as possible, we feel that our only option at this point is to recourse your child from their chosen computing course.

“This is not done lightly but there seems no option for the reasons given.

“I appreciate that this is not a good situation as a school and the ideal would be for your child to be progressing in courses that they have chosen, however, I feel we have no option.”

The parent said: “I think it is terrible that our local High School has had to cancel computing classes from National 5 upwards.

“I don’t know where this leaves my son’s education and feel disappointed as computing is a very important subject in this day and age”.

The loss of Lochgelly High School’s only computing teacher is to be taken up by Kirkcaldy West councillor, Kathleen Leslie, at next week’s meeting of the Education Committee.

She said: “Computing is a crucial subject for all pupils in the digital era and for no measures to have been put in place to ensure this did not happen is simply not good enough.

“Recently we have been hearing a lot about the need for re-zoning of schools in parts of Fife but next to nothing about staffing issues. What is to be done about this?

“The Council needs to either transfer staff from another school or look urgently at ways to bus youngsters who are planning to study for Nationals or Highers in computing to other schools within the area.

“This is quite simply unacceptable and raises a number of questions about teacher recruitment in Fife”.