Specialists - Battle against teacher shortage - Minister is confident
Brandenburg's Education Minister Steffen Freiberg remains optimistic about the upcoming school year despite the current teacher shortage. "We have been able to win a significant number of colleagues," the SPD politician told the German Press Agency. "Yes, we need substitute teachers as well, that's how it is in Eastern Germany. It's not about the study places." The exact number of missing teaching staff will only be known shortly before the start of the new school year.
Freiberg referred to several ongoing measures such as the 63+ program for the continued employment of teachers, a new recruitment campaign, and the Land Teacher Scholarship. These measures will not eliminate the need for teachers on their own, he said. "We are building up the job market for the civil service step by step."
New program for older teachers takes effect for the first time
The 63+ program is reportedly taking effect for the first time in the coming school year. "I know that a three-digit number of colleagues are in contact with the state schools," said Freiberg. "That's not included in our forecasts yet." 257 employment offers have been advertised for the next school year as of the current status. "We started the school year 22/23 with around 540 job offers."
A total of 1,380 trained teachers and substitutes were employed permanently during the previous school year. According to the ministry, this left around 460 full-time positions unfilled. Taking into account the part-time quota, almost 500 positions were advertised for the schools.
Freiberg: No increase in teaching absences
The Minister drew a positive balance of the school year. "We have managed to complete the school year with all challenges, such as a sickness wave with a 12% sick leave rate in the fall, which is not the case everywhere in Germany," he said. "In Brandenburg, there is no evidence that a grade was not given because teaching was not provided. The teaching absence, which has remained at 2.5% despite the challenges of this school year, is a merit of the teachers."
On Wednesday, the last school day before the summer holidays, more than 316,700 girls and boys in Brandenburg will receive their certificates at 938 schools. Around 25,300 first-graders will be enrolled in the new school year 2024/25, around 23,500 students will start their first hours at a secondary school after primary school.
- The 63+ program, which allows older individuals to continue their teaching career, will be implemented in Eastern Germany's schools for the first time during the upcoming school year.
- Despite the ongoing teacher shortage in Brandenburg, Education Minister Steffen Freiberg remains hopeful, having successfully recruited a significant number of new teachers and substitute teachers.
- Freiberg credits several initiatives, including the 63+ program, a new recruitment campaign, and the Land Teacher Scholarship, for helping to alleviate, but not eliminate, the teacher shortage in the region.
- Last year, over 1,380 trained teachers and substitutes were employed permanently in Brandenburg's schools, leaving around 500 full-time positions unfilled, considering part-timequota.
- The German Press Agency reported that Freiberg praised the resilience and dedication of the region's teachers, noting that despite the challenges of the school year, there was no evidence of any grades being missed due to teaching absences, with the overall teaching absence remaining at 2.5%.
