Magdeburg (dpa / sa) – Primary school teachers in Saxony-Anhalt continue to be paid less than those in other types of schools and in neighboring federal states. Thursday the Education and Science Union (GEW) calls for a protest in Magdeburg Cathedral Square. In front of the state parliament, union members, teachers and students should emphasize the demand for better pay with the motto “Do it finally”. Primary school teachers in Saxony-Anhalt earned up to € 500 less than their colleagues from other types of school. This is one of the reasons for the brain drain.
«No less tiring is the daily life of primary school teachers, indeed: primary school teachers carry out an indispensable job in a very heterogeneous type of school. Despite language barriers, they motivate and integrate all children and also have to struggle with a desolating supply of lessons. “
According to the GEW, primary school teachers are paid according to salary grades A13 and E13 in Saxony, Thuringia, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin, as well as in Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Education Minister of Saxony-Anhalt Eva Feußner (CDU) has already spoken out in favor of better pay for primary school teachers.
From the point of view of the state president of the association of primary schools, Thekla Mayerhofer, the higher payment is an important and necessary step. However, surveys have shown that many primary school teachers would like better working conditions. For example, many teachers would pay for children’s decorations, books and pencils out of their own pockets, including shelves in the classroom. Mayerhofer considers a budget for teaching quality to be reasonable.
In addition, the bureaucracy makes it difficult to provide individual support, for example through special learning apps, spreadsheets or additional copies. Equipment options should be improved in the interest of children. The country has not spent a lot of money due to a lack of teachers, this should be reinvested in education.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 221013-99-108446 / 2
