Fresh doubt has been cast over a radical multi-million pound plan to employ young out-of-work teachers.
Education minister John O'Dowd last year approved a scheme to allow up to 500 older teachers to leave the classroom and make way for recently-qualified staff.
More than £33m was allocated by the Executive to "re-shape the teaching workforce as part of a dual approach to a strategic cost reduction scheme for schools".
Some teachers hit out at the scheme, however, saying they would lose out on the prospect of work because they earned their teaching degrees more than three years ago.
Mr O'Dowd told the assembly education committee that Executive ministers would collectively decide how the scheme should be taken forward.
However, the Executive never discussed the issue and it has now reached a point, with the election looming, at which it can no longer agree on it.
The initial plan was that Investing in the Teaching Workforce would open to applications early this year.
Schools would reduce their teaching costs with recently qualified teachers filling the place of staff eligible for premature retirement - those 55 or older.
Since 2013/14, more than 2,000 graduates have registered with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland, of which it is understood about 1,400 do not yet hold a permanent teaching position in a grant-aided school.
The Department of Education last night confirmed that the scheme would not be taken forward until after the election.
"The mandate for the current Executive has reached a point at which it is no longer possible to seek agreement to the scheme being finalised and launched," a spokeswoman said.
The Northern Ireland Teachers' Council, which represents four main unions described the news as "extremely disappointing".
"The unions will be lobbying the political parties in the run-up to the election and will prevail upon the new minister to implement the scheme as soon as possible," said Avril Hall Callaghan, NITC chairperson and general secretary of the Ulster Teachers Union.
"The teaching unions remain committed to this initiative which they believe is an innovative way to rebalance the age profile in schools."
