Teacher shortage in Brandenburg: scholarship as a solution or just a drop?

Teacher shortage in Brandenburg: scholarship as a solution or just a drop?

In Brandenburg, teaching staff at schools in rural areas is becoming increasingly scarce. There are currently over 200 teaching positions vacant, especially in primary schools, which is severely affecting the educational opportunities of many children. In order to counteract this deficiency, the Brandenburg Scholarship was launched in 2021, which aims to specifically attract young teachers. Via RBB24 we learn that since the scholarship was introduced, 20 former scholarship holders have already found jobs at schools in Brandenburg.

A particular example is 27-year-old Annie Hummel, who teaches at the Albert Schweitzer School in Wittenberge. She took advantage of the scholarship, which offered 600 euros a month over 18 months, and committed to working in rural schools after her studies. Education Minister Steffen Freiberg (SPD) praises the scholarship as a “model of success”, despite concerns about its sustainability. Education expert Eric Richter sees the scholarship as more of a “drop in the ocean” and criticizes the concentration of teacher training in the urban centers of Potsdam and Berlin.

Challenges in rural areas

The difficulties in rural areas are not just limited to the teacher allowance. The Federal Agency for Civic Education highlights how access to educational institutions is becoming a challenge for many rural residents. Average journeys of over 50 minutes to school are the norm for many students in rural areas. They are often dependent on school buses, which are not always optimally scheduled.

In Brandenburg, the city of Seelow at least receives support for teaching students and graduates. They receive funding of up to 500 euros per month, provided they commit to working at a school in Seelow for at least five years. There are also similar programs to support teachers in other cities such as Zehdenick and Fürstenberg/Havel, albeit on a smaller scale. Here, support is provided with 200 euros per month, but only for students who work at a Brandenburg study seminar and a training position in the middle level, reports The Brandenburg Ministry for Youth, Education and Sport.

Long-term developments and solutions

The long-term impact of the Brandenburg Scholarship is still difficult to predict. The Minister of Education and education experts agree that in order to increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession in rural regions, measures that go beyond financial incentives are necessary. One suggestion is to make rural schools more generally more attractive and to expand part-time education locally.

The topic is supplemented by numerous projects, such as the “Uni vor Ort” in Greifswald, which offers students the opportunity to deal with the challenges of rural areas. Through practice-oriented workshops and projects, students not only develop a better understanding of the realities of life on site, they also contribute to networking between universities and rural communities.

It remains to be hoped that the combination of scholarships, government funding and practical projects will ultimately lead to a sustainable improvement in educational opportunities in Brandenburg's rural regions in the future.