- Educational institution advocates for additional personnel in educational institutions.
The Union for Education and Research (GEW) is pushing for more teachers in schools across Rhineland-Palatinate. According to GEW, the daily absenteeism rate of 8 to 12% or 15% requires schools to maintain a pool of substitute teachers. Furthermore, schools should have more flexibility to utilize multidisciplinary teams to cater to the various needs of children and young people, as per GEW's statement in Mainz.
It's not sufficient to depend solely on teachers. Professionals from sectors like occupational therapy and speech therapy, in addition to experts in social work and educational psychology, should be integrated permanently into the school team.
Limited Impact of Startchance Program
GEW supports the Startchance program, which aids socially disadvantaged students and begins in the new school year. However, only around 12% of the 1,600 schools in the state benefit from this program's funding. It's crucial that not just the selected schools, but all schools with financial requirements are given the necessary resources.
The federal government funds the Startchance program with up to one billion euros annually, with states contributing an equal amount. Rhineland-Palatinate receives 49.4 million euros annually from the federal government and contributes an equal amount. This translates to around 100 million euros available annually for the next decade. Schools will receive this funding, among other things, for increased expertise, multidisciplinary teams, and more suitable learning environments.
Given the diverse needs of students, incorporating professionals from various sectors like occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, and educational psychology, falls under the category of 'Other' essential personnel that schools should consider.
In order to maximize the impact of the Startchance program, GEW suggests that funds should be allocated not just to the 12% of schools currently benefitting, but to all financially disadvantaged schools, thereby broadening the scope of 'Other' professions that can contribute to the program's success.
