Left-wing politicians criticize the rising number of secondments

The Saxon school system can no longer function without teachers being seconded to other schools. Members of The Left in the state parliament have now requested figures on the extent of the current situation. Motivation and relief are better than pressure, concluded the Left Party caucus.

The Left: Secondments Only Shift Problems

Secondments are not the best solution because they often merely shift the problems elsewhere, emphasized Luise Neuhaus-Wartenberg, education expert for The Left. “We can only overcome the shortage by planning staffing needs realistically, making teacher training more practical, and involving students more closely in everyday classroom life.” It would be better if more teachers settled in the Ore Mountains or Lusatia, she said. “The sooner we make this appealing to them, the better.”

Teacher shortage is a problem, especially outside major cities

“Today, the teacher shortage is a much bigger problem outside major cities than in Leipzig or Dresden. We need to encourage current and future teachers to work far from the major cities as well,” said Neuhaus-Wartenberg. She added that it would be better to motivate them rather than force them through secondment. This measure does not make the profession more attractive. Education Minister Conrad Clemens (CDU) is making a big mistake if he wants to eliminate the special allowance for prospective teachers. “Teachers, too, have the right to plan their lives.”

There are currently 6,768 secondments

According to the Ministry of Education, there are currently 6,768 secondments, including 812 so-called full secondments. These teachers are then no longer assigned to their original school at all. 

However, the number of secondments does not reflect the number of teachers on secondment. A physical education teacher, for example, may teach at several schools—which is then counted multiple times as a secondment. At the start of the previous school year, 2,263 teachers were affected. The figure for the current school year will not be available until November, officials said.