Educational Institutions - SPD urges for enhanced opportunities for temporary educators.
The SPD political group in the Schleswig-Holstein state legislature has called for better conditions for substitute teachers. This week, they proposed a motion for the July parliamentary meeting, as education specialist Martin Habersaat announced on Monday.
Habersaat stated that it's not fair to dismiss these professionals after five years of service, especially when they've accepted all the duties of a teacher, and replace them with less experienced workers. The government needs to address this issue.
To solve this problem, the motion suggests that substitute teachers should earn a fundamental certification while on the job. If they're not already in teacher training or in the referendary admission period, school principals should have the authority to enroll these teachers in additional training to become teachers.
The motion also proposes a program for part-time, on-the-job teacher training, which would provide reduced instruction periods. The teachers should receive appropriate payment during this time. The training would allow one to become a teacher specializing in a specific subject, including German as a foreign language.
The Education Union GEW notes that on average, 10-16% of substitute teachers in Schleswig-Holstein's schools, depending on the type, lack full qualifications. According to GEW co-chair Kerstin Quellmann, these teachers should be given opportunities to earn permanent positions through training programs. "The situation in the schools is surreal," she stated. "Substitute teachers have been teaching at our institutions for years, only to be let go by the Ministry of Education."
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The SPD's push for improved conditions for temporary educators extends beyond the Schleswig-Holstein state legislature, as they advocate for this issue at a national level in Parliament.
Despite their significant contributions to schools, substitute teachers in Schleswig-Holstein often face the challenge of being replaced by less experienced individuals after five years of service. This issue needs to be addressed by the government to ensure consistency and quality in education.
The proposal from the SPD includes a plan for part-time, on-the-job teacher training for substitute teachers who lack full qualifications. This program would not only provide reduced instruction periods but also appropriate payment for the teachers, ultimately enabling them to specialize in a specific subject, such as German as a foreign language.
