Education: Shortage of teachers: Schools rely on lateral entrants

Schools in Germany and especially in North Rhine-Westphalia are relying more and more on lateral entrants in the fight against the shortage of teachers. According to a survey, two out of three school managements (66 percent) nationwide now employ teachers in their schools who have not acquired any teaching qualifications. The proportion has risen rapidly over the past five years, as shown by a representative Forsa survey of over 1,300 school principals nationwide – including 257 from North Rhine-Westphalia. In North Rhine-Westphalia, three quarters of the schools now employ lateral entrants. The Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE) presented the results of the survey on Friday at the school management congress in Düsseldorf.

The shortage of teachers is still seen as the biggest problem by 62 percent of school management in Germany. That was slightly less nationwide than in the previous year. In North Rhine-Westphalia, however, 69 percent of school management still cited the lack of staff as their most pressing problem. This is the highest value so far for the most populous federal state. “The shortage of teachers is slowing down work in schools,” said VBE state chairwoman Anne Deimel.

91 percent of school management in North Rhine-Westphalia cited the shortage of teachers as a major stress factor. Substitution plans are part of the morning routine in many schools, explained Deimel. Necessary support groups cannot take place. There is not enough time for the students. 38 percent of NRW school management – more than in the previous year – also reported problems with school buildings and rooms. Every third management cited inclusion and integration as the greatest difficulty.

Gaps in teachers at all types of schools

Schools in North Rhine-Westphalia are more affected by unfilled positions than the national average. While half of school principals nationwide stated that at least one teaching position had not been filled at the beginning of the current school year, in North Rhine-Westphalia the figure was 62 percent. One in five schools in North Rhine-Westphalia had three or more vacancies. According to the Ministry of Education, as of the beginning of June, there was a shortage of more than 6,700 teaching positions in the almost 5,000 public schools in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The situation is getting even worse at schools where teachers are already missing, said VBE deputy federal chairman Tomi Neckov. Around one in five school administrators (22 percent) nationwide said that more than 15 percent of teachers were now missing from their school. In 2021, around one in six school administrators (16 percent) complained about this severe shortage of teachers.

For the VBE, the explanation is obvious: “There are schools in certain neighborhoods or regions that are more popular than others and perhaps have less difficulty filling vacancies,” said Neckov in a written statement. And there are schools that have serious problems finding teachers. “Where there are the greatest challenges, most teachers are missing.”

At the end of 2022, School Minister Dorothee Feller presented a plan for action against a shortage of teachers and canceled lessons for North Rhine-Westphalia. Among other things, it provides for the possibility of temporary assignments of teachers to underserved schools. By the beginning of October, the district governments had already issued more than 8,100 delegations this school year. When applying for part-time work, we also examine intensively on a case-by-case basis whether there are any conflicting business reasons. The concept also includes taking on substitute teachers who were previously employed on a temporary basis. In addition, lateral entry into school service in North Rhine-Westphalia was made easier. At primary schools, beginners can obtain their teaching qualifications with a state examination while working.

Advantages and disadvantages for lateral entrants

Neckov sometimes views the hiring of newcomers with skepticism. In some cases, people with a wide variety of professional backgrounds are employed in schools without appropriate prior qualifications. But with the right qualifications, lateral entrants could be enriching. The shortage of teachers acts as a catalyst for lateral entry.

“The only bright spot is that the acute shortage can be curbed somewhat by people joining from the side and the outlook for the future is a little better this year,” says Neckov. Around a quarter of school management expects to be less affected by the shortage of teachers in the future. However, three out of four school principals (75 percent) nationwide estimate that their school will be severely or very severely affected by the shortage of teachers in the future. These are often secondary schools, secondary schools and comprehensive schools as well as special schools and special schools.

Problems with the legal right to full-day care

The educational association VBE is critical of the future legal right to full-day care at primary schools (OGS). A third of primary school principals said that their respective municipalities could not ensure implementation by the 2026/27 school year. In North Rhine-Westphalia, almost half of primary school administrators are of this opinion. From 2026/2027, the legal right to an OGS place will come into force nationwide, initially in the first grades of primary schools.

Despite all the pressures, according to the survey, a total of 83 percent of school administrators surveyed nationwide enjoy or somewhat enjoy their job – slightly more than in the previous year. Only 16 percent don’t like going to work. For NRW the results are almost the same.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:231124-99-60748/4