- The number of pupils increases again for the new school year
At the start of the new academic year in Lower Saxony, the number of students is set to rise again. The Ministry of Education expects more than 840,000 students for the new school year, as reported. This is around 19,000 more than the previous year. Given increasing birth rates and migration, Minister of Education Julia Willie Hamburg (Greens) anticipates further growth in the coming years.
More students also mean more staff. According to the reports, 2,191 teachers have been hired since the beginning of the year. However, there have also been 1,764 departures - resulting in a net increase of around 400 teachers. "We will continue to hire at a high pace in the coming weeks. We've never had so much staff at our schools," said Hamburg.
Moreover, three measures are set to promote educational equity in the new school year:
The Social Index: If schools have more children and young people in need of support than others, they will receive additional teachers or staff.The Start Chance Programme: Among other things, this aims to halve the number of students who fail to meet minimum standards in mathematics and German at 390 schools in the long term.Learning Time "Secure Foundation": This aims to improve the teaching of basic skills at primary schools to give children a solid foundation for their further learning.
The new school year in Lower Saxony begins on Monday. Meanwhile, the Education and Science Union (GEW) is concerned about the situation at schools, speaking of a high workload for teachers. Sickness rates are rising, many are retiring early or reducing their working hours.
The anticipation of further student growth in Lower Saxony, as mentioned by Minister Julia Willie Hamburg, is fuelled by increasing birth rates and migration. To cater to this rising number of students, the education sector is employing more staff, with an addition of around 400 teachers this year.
The new measures introduced this academic year in Lower Saxony, such as The Social Index and Learning Time "Secure Foundation," are aimed at promoting educational equity and ensuring all students receive a solid foundation, regardless of their circumstances.
