Education chiefs have been slammed for blowing £39million on marketing last year – enough to pay an extra 1,500 teachers.
The cash was splurged on public information campaigns, including one aimed at recruiting school and college staff.
Teaching unions branded the spend – up 54% on the previous year – a waste of taxpayers’ cash.
It came as a report revealed the Department for Education is likely to miss its hiring target for a second year.
The National Foundation for Educational Research also found schools in England have posted 93% more vacancies so far this academic year than the year before the pandemic.
Up to February, there had been 40,000 posts advertised.
Unions say the Tories are driving teachers out by underfunding schools, with lousy rises meaning pay is down 13% in real terms since 2010.
Members have been striking for a better deal since February and 73% have considered quitting in the past year.
NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach said: “Rather than wasting more money on marketing campaigns, the Government should be addressing the issues causing the recruitment crisis.”
Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added: “It says everything about the Tories’ treatment of teachers that they’re having to spend millions to get more recruits.”
The Department for Education said: “Our Get Into Teaching campaign is helping us to inspire people to pursue a career in education.”
