- Education Official Encounters Various Obstacles in Academic Institutions
Dealing with a scarcity of educators and soaring pupil numbers, Julia Willie Hamburg, Lower Saxony's Minister of Education from the Green Party, recognizes numerous difficulties in the state's educational institutions. "The situation is quite tough," she stated in the state parliament. "This year, we've got over 19,000 new kids joining our schools alone." This predicament is further complicated by a shifting student demographic, swift societal and technological advancements, escalating psychological health concerns among young people, and a "glaring absence of qualified instructors."
These challenges can't be resolved swiftly, Hamburg admitted. Nevertheless, the state is persistently addressing these matters. "We're taking action, and we can be depended upon," she assured.
One method to tackle the teacher vacancy is by enhancing salaries. A considerable number of instructors will progress to a higher pay bracket, resulting in a salary boost for roughly 35,500 teachers, as per the Ministry of Education. In Lower Saxony, there are over 71,000 teachers in regular schools, and currently, 2,460 new positions are being created.
"Class cancellations have become the standard"
Even the opposition acknowledges formidable challenges. "We're confronted with numerous topics and issues," said CDU education politician Christian Fühner. He specifically criticized the teacher supply situation. "Regrettably, class cancellations have become the norm in our schools," Fühner emphasized.
He advocated for streamlining the recognition process for teachers from other states or abroad. Additionally, he suggested granting schools more autonomy, such as over their budgets. "We need to revamp teacher training," Fühner stated. Digital support programs fostering self-directed learning should be introduced, along with minimizing bureaucracy within schools.
The school year for over 840,000 students in Lower Saxony commenced roughly three weeks ago.
Although Minister Hamburg is working diligently to fill the teacher vacancies with new positions and salary increases for 35,500 teachers, the opposition, led by Christian Fühner, argues that the current teacher supply situation is still problematic. "Class cancellations have become the standard," Fühner lamented, suggesting solutions such as simplifying the recognition process for teachers from other states or countries and giving schools more budgetary autonomy.
