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Teacher shortage in Central Saxony: Students suffer from missed lessons!
In Central Saxony, absenteeism from schools is increasing, while a shortage of teachers and reductions in hours are having an impact on teaching.
Teacher shortage in Central Saxony: Students suffer from missed lessons!
Everyday school life in Cologne has looked increasingly bleak in recent years. Absenteeism at schools continues to rise, and it is not just the high rates of illness among teachers that are affecting student learning. According to a recent report by Free press Other teachers often step in, but usually not on their own initiative. However, these emergency solutions lack the usual quality of teaching.
What does that mean specifically for the students? The new timetable includes, among other things, one less hour of German and the complete elimination of art lessons. Computer science is no longer taught as usual. Many parents were already surprised by the changes in their children's schedules a year ago, and it seems as if the unwanted changes in subjects, such as replacing math with history when classes are canceled, are becoming more and more normal.
Teacher shortage in Germany
The situation is not just a local phenomenon: there is a glaring shortage of teachers throughout Germany. The Statista Report shows that several federal states are having massive difficulties filling open teaching positions. What is particularly worrying is the fact that in some federal states, almost 50% of new hires in 2024 were filled by people without formal teacher training. The shortage is not expected to improve until 2033, when a slight surplus of teachers could only be expected.
The main reason for this is the increasing number of students, which has risen rapidly since the baby boom in the 2010s. According to forecasts, the number of students is expected to increase by over 9% by 2035, especially in lower secondary education and vocational schools. This puts considerable pressure on schools, especially since the support measures for lower-performing students and immigration require additional teachers.
Impact on the education system
The impact of the teacher shortage should not be underestimated. The National Education Report published by German school portal, shows that despite increased education spending and staff increases, the German education system cannot keep up with increasing demands. In 2022, 52,300 young people left school without a qualification, representing a worrying 6.9% dropout figure - an increase compared to previous years.
But despite high spending of 264 billion euros on education in 2022, recruiting skilled personnel remains a challenge. Career changers are increasingly being employed in schools, which is leading to a further gap between expectations and reality. The report indicates that 12% of new teachers hired in 2022 did not have traditional teacher training.
The problems facing the education system are complex and multifaceted. The only thing that is certain is that the challenges that schools will face in the coming years will require massive political and social responses in order to finally improve the learning conditions for students.