IF the education authority's words were carefully chosen to subdue fears of a teacher-shortage crisis in Blackburn and Darwen -- "no worse than anywhere in the country" and non-specialist teachers would plug gaps "only where necessary," it said only two days ago -- then today's disclosure that it is trying to import foreign staff will contrast sharply with those assurances.

But though, in the wake of claims that teacher shortages across the country were now the worst for 36 years, both it and Lancashire Education Authority indicate that it is only in enlisting teachers in some key subjects that problems lie, should parents be worried by this trawl for teachers from Europe?

The fact that Blackburn with Darwen is understood to be only the second in the North West to resort to overseas recruitment suggests that the problem may be somewhat more acute. But does it not also signify that it is being actively addressed?

Just as there is nothing wrong in the NHS hiring Spanish nurses for our hospitals, there is also nothing amiss with teachers being brought from Europe to work in East Lancashire schools -- as long as the same proviso applies.

For if the staffing crisis is the worst for a generation and three in ten teachers are claimed to be quitting before they have served three years, then, clearly, urgent priority must be given to improving pay, working conditions, career prospects and public esteem in order to make teaching an attractive profession once more.