THE Tories were accused yesterday of “robbing” children of a decent education as figures revealed rising numbers of classes being taken by unqualified teachers.

State-funded schools were given the green light to hire unqualified teachers by former education secretary Michael Gove in 2012.

A survey of 4,635 teachers by teaching union NASUWT suggests that leaders of English schools have seized on the policy in order to cut costs.

More than 60 per cent of teachers said that staff without qualified teacher status were leading lessons in their school — rising to 70 per cent in academies.

Most believe the situation is getting worse because head teachers “won’t or can’t pay for qualified teachers.”

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said the government was “robbing children of a fundamental right” to a qualified teacher.

“This is jeopardising the educational progress of children,” she said.

“It is abuse of unqualified staff who are being exploited by schools and it is denying teachers jobs.

“These are crude cost-cutting measures and have nothing to do with enhancing teaching and learning.”

Most unqualified teachers are regularly planning and delivering lessons, as well as monitoring children’s progress, according to the poll.

Many are even taking responsibility for curriculum development.

One teacher wrote: “If the parents knew their children were being taught by unqualified staff, they would withdraw their children to another school.”

More than 400,000 children are being taught by unqualified teachers, according to Department for Education figures revealed in December.