Teacher shortage in MV: 397 positions unfilled – What does that mean for the students?

Teacher shortage in MV: 397 positions unfilled – What does that mean for the students?

On September 8th, students in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will return to the classroom after the summer holidays. But while composure in school is slowly returning, the situation for teachers looks anything but rosy. According to Borkener Zeitung there are currently 397 teaching positions advertised, of which, tragically, 392 are permanent and therefore particularly alarming. In view of this precarious situation, the final recruitment figures will be presented at a state press conference on September 9th.

The problem of a teacher shortage is not new. Affected schools often have to resort to substitute teachers, which, however, does not guarantee the desired quality of teaching. Although the resources for substitute teachers are sufficient, they cannot prevent lessons from being canceled. The Education and Science Union (GEW) speaks of enormous challenges, especially because more and more older teachers are retiring and the number of new starters is too low. The chairman of the state student council, Felix Wizowsky, is all the more demanding for a drastic improvement in the situation, which, in his opinion, has continued to worsen over the last ten years.

Reform of teacher training

In the fight against the shortage of teachers, the state government has now introduced a new teacher training law, as NDR reports. Science Minister Bettina Martin (SPD) hopes that this reform will reduce dropout rates in teacher training courses. Up to 70% of students drop out of their studies - a real stumbling block for education. The reform aims to counteract this trend by lowering hurdles and making studying more attractive overall.

The new legislation includes, among other things, an abolition of the differentiation between teachers for regional schools and high schools. This is intended to make it easier for students from other disciplines to make the leap into the teaching profession. However, the reform, which is being funded with 25 million euros until 2030, is not due to take effect until the end of 2025. Education Minister Simone Oldenburg (Die Linke) emphasizes the urgent need for action: Over 5,000 new teachers will be needed by 2030, but only 2,400 will be trained.

The consequences of the teacher shortage

A sustainable strategy to increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession is absolutely necessary. The discussion about a “creeping loss of educational quality” is becoming louder and louder as fewer teachers cause more lesson cancellations. The “Digital State School” is also still seen as a possible approach to alleviating the shortage of teachers.

Experience shows that the path into the teaching profession is not perceived as attractive enough. Many teachers end up working longer than necessary, which has a negative impact on the school system. The steady decline in qualified teachers represents a key challenge. It therefore remains to be seen whether the planned measures will bear sufficient fruit to prevent the impending teacher chaos.