The Scottish Government’s increased focus on education, following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s public proclamation that voters should judge her personally on her record in this area, has generated a welcome boost in activity around schools policy.

Some of it, however, risks going too far. A case in point is the draconian financial penalties threatened when councils don’t manage to fill all their teaching vacancies, and it is little wonder senior education officials are now speaking out.

Local authorities must do their utmost, of course, to ensure vacancies are filled quickly and appropriately where possible. But Scotland’s economic and geographical differences mean it is predictable that some empty posts will be easier to fill than others. Local authorities in many parts of the Highlands, islands and north east Scotland, for example, have for many years found it hard to recruit staff, even when substantial “golden hellos” are offered and the recruitment net is widened to the likes of Canada and Ireland.

And the situation is being exacerbated in many areas by a shortage of supply teachers to plug the gaps.

With this in mind, it simply cannot be either right or sensible to slap fines sometimes totalling millions on already cash-strapped councils who cannot, through no fault of their own, attract the teachers they need.

The policy has set local authorities on a collision course with Finance Secretary John Swinney, who earlier this year blamed them for breaking his party’s promise on maintaining teacher numbers.

Councils are calling for a national taskforce to reverse “crippling” teacher shortages across the country, and it is now time for Mr Swinney, Ms Sturgeon and Education Secretary Angela Constance to take heed and work with them to find more effective, less punitive ways of tackling the issue. After all, as the politicians and officials argue, it’s our schools and ultimately our children that suffer.