208 foreign teachers will be in New Zealand classes when the school year starts.

The Ministry has announced they are committed helping principals fill teaching vacancies in schools beyond term one.

Recruiters for the Ministry of Education have almost 1000 overseas teachers screened and ready to be interviewed.

The Ministry's Ellen MacGregor-Reid told Mike Yardley thousands more have expressed an interest in coming to New Zealand.

"We've had around 7,000 expressions of interest to come to New Zealand to teach."

She thinks that more will come through the pipeline as the year goes on .

MacGregor-Reid says that their recruiters believe they have a number of high quality candidates.

"The places that we traditionally have had international teachers coming in from, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Africa, they do have qualifications that are recognised in New Zealand."

However, New Zealand Educational Institute president Lynda Stuart says that's a temporary fix.

"Bringing in in foreign teachers is a very, very short term measure, and it's not addressing the reasons why teachers are leaving."

She says teachers need to be given more time to teach, and principals need more time to lead.

"Unless we really ensure we're looking after teachers in our country, we're going to continue to have this problem."

She says teachers need time to teach and principals need time to lead.

Stuart says until these are dealt with, the teacher shortage will continue over the long and short term.

MacGregor-Reid says that around five per cent of those who have accepted offers are Kiwi teachers coming home.

"That's telling us that New Zealanders are coming home, and the campaign is starting to work."

LISTEN TO ELLEN MACGREGOR-REID TALK WITH MIKE YARDLEY ABOVE