Almost 5,000 teachers in Scotland are on temporary contracts, according to new figures.

Statistics released to the Scottish Conservatives through freedom of information requests to local councils show 4,951 teachers were employed on temporary contracts at the beginning of June.

The overall figure is likely to be higher as Highland and Fife councils did not respond to the requests.

The highest proportion was seen in Edinburgh – which is among the largest local authority areas by population in the country – where 523 teachers were not on permanent contracts.

Aberdeenshire Council, the figures show, said 489 of its teachers were working under temporary agreements.

At the other end of the scale, East Dunbartonshire – one of the wealthiest councils in Scotland – employed just 31 temporary teachers.

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