Between 70 and 80 percent of a school age group in Bavaria attend vocational schools. Nevertheless, representatives of this educational segment feel that their importance is underestimated, not sufficiently recognized by society, and treated like a child. “When I say where I work, I often hear: Oh God, you poor man,” says Sophia Altenthan, deputy head of a vocational school for child care in Regensburg. “But why? They are great young people.” In an online press conference, representatives of the Association of Teachers at Vocational Schools in Bavaria (VLB) therefore once again broke the ground for their facilities, both as a training facility and as a workplace.
Many high school students, prospective students or dropouts, Altenthan believes, have no real idea of the system of vocational schools, so they would not even consider it as an alternative, although all general educational qualifications are possible there, including access to universities. The system in Bavaria is very differentiated, it ranges from the vocational schools including those for special needs education to offers for vocational preparation, the vocational schools, business schools, technical and vocational colleges up to the technical schools and technical academies. A total of more than 400,000 young people in a variety of different courses in the fields of economics, technology, clothing, color and room design, health and personal care, nutrition and housekeeping through to agriculture are taught by around 33,000 teachers. “We are training the skilled workers of tomorrow for the world of work,” emphasizes VLB state chairman Pankraz Männlein, but “we have to be well positioned” to remedy the lack of skilled workers that is widely complained about.
A shortage of teachers is foreseeable
And, in the opinion of the association representatives, there is a problem in many areas, from the condition of the buildings to the technical equipment to the staff; the complaints are quite similar to those from other types of schools. Too few teachers, says Siegfried Hummelsberger, VLB consultant and head of a technical school, as one of the big problems. For years, some teachers have barely been able to do their compulsory lessons; according to a study that has not yet been published, up to 6,000 teachers will be missing across Germany in the coming years. It can hardly be because of the pay, a vocational school teacher earns the same as a high school teacher. In the meantime there is the possibility of lateral entry for employees from the economy, possibly with a shortened legal clerkship, but Hummelsberger does not see the ideal solution in this – “why should someone do a year-long teacher training course plus legal clerkship?” He asks.
The teachers are also worried about the continuous stress. Sophia Altenthan is therefore calling for a teacher reserve, which has not yet existed, as well as a reduction in the number of compulsory lessons. In addition to the core business of teaching, there is also advising students, numerous administrative and organizational tasks and of course – fueled by the pandemic – advanced training in digital skills. Hummelsberger notes that the fact that the Corona crisis brought the long-needed “digital boost” is positive, but there is a lack of professional IT support and there is a lack of clarity as to who will pay the costs. Particularly when it comes to the important issue of EDP support, the responsibilities between the municipalities responsible for material costs and the Free State responsible for personnel are not clearly regulated. This leads to long procurement times or even to the fact that funds are not called up.
The few exam dates are a problem
Like all schools, Corona has also put the vocational schools to a tough test: Students who come to school from five or six different districts, sit thirty in a class and then go back to their companies – to make it safe is okay “a Herculean task,” notes VLB spokesman Jörg Neubauer. A lot was done through distance learning, but in some areas not either – how, for example, should a prospective optician digitally adjust glasses for her customer, and a future nanny just practice on the screen? Another problem is the performance evaluation. The VLB welcomes the fact that the Ministry has launched the “Innovative Examination Culture” school experiment. Unfortunately, the vocational schools have not yet been taken into account. Pankraz Männlein also points to another problem. The final examinations at the chambers only take place every six months, re-examination dates are not offered. Anyone who is unable to attend in December, be it because of Corona or for other reasons, will have to wait until next July.