Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – In the fight against the shortage of teachers in schools in the south-west, the state is daring to use a “sacred cow”: teachers should soon only be allowed to work less than 75 percent. Minister of Education Theresa Schopper (Greens) wants to restrict the part-time model from the 2024/2025 school year, as she announced on Friday. However, part-time solutions due to parental leave, care leave or for family reasons are not touched. First, Südwestrundfunk quoted from the ministry’s draft. The package of almost 18 points has already been agreed in the green-black coalition.
With the 75 percent threshold, one is in a moderate mode, said Schopper. “We haven’t unpacked the fangs of saying we’re going to 100 percent.” Other “poisonous teeth” were not resorted to either, such as increasing the class divider. Despite the clear shortage of staff, according to the Ministry of Education, more than half of all teachers at public schools work part-time (56,000). 14,000 of them for “other reasons” – and that’s what it’s all about now.
But there are other screws that the Minister of Education is turning: One of them is through-payment during the summer holidays, from which more than 2,800 additional teachers will benefit this year. In addition, the intervals between so-called sabbatical years are stretched. You have to work five years before you can apply for a sabbatical. According to the information, more than 900 sabbaticals have been approved in the current school year.
And something is also changing with the trainee teachers: In future they will teach one hour more per week, in return there will be no type of homework – the “documentation of a teaching unit”. There are also offers of support. So there should be the possibility that “qualified people” from music schools take over the lessons in these subjects all day and thus relieve the teachers. In addition, there should be more educational assistants and 250 FSJler in the educational field.
State civil servants in Baden-Württemberg have so far been entitled to work part-time for up to 50 percent. An application for part-time work can only be rejected if there are compelling official reasons to the contrary. The shortage of teachers should now be considered an official reason, the civil service law does not have to be changed for this. With the help of a decree, the guidelines are now being laid down as to who may work less than 75 percent, explained Schopper.
Overall, Schopper wants to use the package to raise more than 500 deputations – i.e. lessons. The new part-time rule makes up the biggest chunk, according to Schopper, this change alone can create around 300 deputies. Nevertheless, their plans are not well received by the education and science union: “The state government has not recognized that the labor market is changing and that it has to offer attractive jobs, especially for Generation Z,” said GEW state chairwoman Monika Stein. As a result of the plans, even fewer young people will choose school as a workplace.
However, the ministry’s decision is not a surprise. Schopper had never shown himself to be a supporter of the part-time option. A week ago, she described the regulations for teachers as comfortable. This is not usual in the reality of life for many employees. Public pressure is also increasing.
SPD education expert Stefan Fulst-Blei described the Ministry of Education’s decision as “an admission of catastrophic conditions after years of green savings and failed personnel planning”. The situation in the schools could now get even worse. FDP faction leader Hans-Ulrich Rülke accused the state government of breaking a promise. “In the middle of last year, the state government still assured that the idea of restricting part-time teachers would not be pursued after an appropriate examination,” said Rülke.
Green education expert Thomas Poreski praised the ministry for having designed a plan “with creativity and foresight”. “The message is: We are pooling all our strengths so that teachers can better concentrate on their core work – the lessons.”
The Baden-Württemberg Association of Vocational School Teachers announced that the planned restrictions unsettled many teachers. But it is good that Schopper leaves the class divider untouched. The Education and Training Association also complained that part-time work is an attractive component of the profession.
For Schopper, the consideration remains: After all, around 6,000 positions should actually be filled this year, these are “real challenges” and already “a lot of wood”. But she also relies on volunteering. Her sharply criticized letter from last year, in which she and Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann asked teachers to consider whether they could “teach one, two or maybe even three additional hours” in the coming school year or postpone their upcoming retirement at least around 400 deputations were brought in.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230331-99-156496/5
