Meetings, concepts and organisation: the looming teacher shortage in Bavaria’s grammar schools could in theory be alleviated by increasing the number of part-time positions – but in practice additional tasks that are not related to teaching deter many people who work part-time. This is the result of a survey by the Bavarian Association of Philologists (BPV), which is available to the German Press Agency. The association, which represents teachers at grammar schools and vocational high schools, is therefore calling for more support staff at schools and a significant reduction in the burden on teachers of extracurricular activities.
“There is a “silent reserve” of teaching staff slumbering in the teachers’ rooms,” explained Michael Schwägerl, head of philology. “It works part-time and would be willing to add hours under the right conditions.” However, well over half of almost 5,000 teachers stated in an internal association survey that additional organizational and administrative tasks and a large number of school appointments outside of class prevented them from doing so. In addition, there would be substitutions and the correction effort, also due to subsequent performance records. “Both have increased significantly in the past school year due to frequent and long-lasting absences,” said Schwägerl.
With a view to planning and thus the compatibility of family and work, a lot has already happened at schools. “The result couldn’t be clearer: the colleagues want to teach and want to have enough time for it,” said Schwägerl. However: “Additional projects at the schools, required concepts, external evaluation, specialist meetings, school events, staff meetings – the more social and educational policy concerns are brought to the schools, the more the core business of teaching takes a back seat.”
There has been a blatant shortage of teachers at elementary, middle and special schools in Bavaria for a long time. A letter from the Ministry of Education has just caused a stir, according to which these schools have to cancel classes after the holidays in order to have enough educators as class teachers. The Ministry of Culture in Munich officially only speaks of possible “selective restrictions on election and inclination offers”. The teachers’ associations, however, fear worse, such as significantly larger classes or students as class teachers.
According to the BPV, a significant shortage of teachers is also threatening high schools in the future: After more than 1000 teachers were hired for the new school year, the waiting lists are now empty. The BPV intends to present the detailed results of the member survey at the beginning of September.
The Ministry of Culture announced that it wants to examine together with the association “how teachers can be motivated to adjust their part-time hours by reducing the administrative burden”. In principle, efforts are being made to reduce the administrative burden on school management and teachers. But many of the tasks mentioned could only be carried out by teachers.