Working time accounts for teachers to prevent teaching absences

Voluntarily teach more hours, work less later: How this new offer to Saxony's teaching staff is intended to help combat the shortfall in teaching hours.

Saxony wants to use voluntary working time accounts for teachers to curb the acute shortfall in teaching at schools. The model will be introduced for the coming 2026/27 school year, the Ministry of Culture announced. Teachers who opt for the scheme will initially have to give one or two more lessons for a few years and then make up for this later with less work.

If many teachers opt for such a working time account, this could result in a significant increase in teaching hours, at least in the next few years. "I expressly encourage our teachers to participate. The more they make use of this option, the fewer lessons will be missed during the current particularly challenging times in Saxony," explained Minister of Education Conrad Clemens (CDU).

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Work more for three years first, then less later

In concrete terms, the alternative working time model consists of three phases: a three-year savings phase, a waiting year and a three-year compensation phase. In the first phase, teachers work one additional hour per week. In stage two, the waiting year, they teach as normal as before. And in stage three, they reduce the number of lessons by one hour. According to the ministry, the same is also possible with two additional lessons.

Civil servant or permanent teachers can take part. Those who work part-time can also opt for a working time account. School principals, probationary civil servants and teachers who have less than the seven-year term of the model until retirement are excluded.