- The union sees the difficult situation of schools as continuing
Despite higher pay for many teachers, the Education and Science Union (GEW) is concerned about the new school year in Lower Saxony. A significant improvement in teaching staffing is not visible despite this increase, said Stefan Stoermer, the union's state chairman, in Hannover.
The union spoke of a high workload for teachers. Sick leave would increase, many would retire early or reduce their working hours. "All of these are obvious factors of a spreading wildfire," said Stoermer.
More money for around 35,000 teachers
The state aims to combat the teacher shortage, among other things, by increasing pay. At the start of the new school year, many teachers' salaries will be increased, moving them into a higher pay grade. According to the Ministry of Culture, around 35,500 teachers will benefit from this. In comparison, more than 71,000 teachers teach at Lower Saxony's general schools.
For full-time employment, this means an additional several hundred euros per month. "The pay adjustments were long overdue and will help Lower Saxony avoid a brain drain in the long run," emphasized the GEW state chairman.
The new school year in Lower Saxony begins on Monday. The union has around 30,000 members in Lower Saxony.
The Education and Science Union (GEW) believes that despite the increase in teachers' salaries, the new school year might still be challenging due to ongoing issues with education. The pay adjustments, according to GEW's state chairman, are necessary to prevent a brain drain in the education sector.
