Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – After the Easter holidays in April, the rule for teachers to stand in front of the class for an hour longer per week will come into effect. The cabinet passed the corresponding working time regulation on Tuesday, said Education Minister Eva Feußner (CDU) in Magdeburg. According to this, all permanent teachers should teach one hour more per week for the next five years. The hour can be credited to a working time account, saved and used from the 2033/34 school year. Optionally, teachers can have the additional teaching hours paid monthly.
With the additional hour per week, the country is reacting to the shortage of teachers and the high level of class cancellations. For primary school teachers, the new regulation means 28 instead of the previous 27 teaching hours, for secondary school and grammar school teachers 26 instead of 25 teaching hours per week. The additional hour is intended to generate a volume of working time that corresponds to 500 teachers. Around 1000 are missing in the country. Teachers aged 62 and over are exempt from the regulation.
This is one of the results of a package from the state government in the fight against the shortage of teachers. According to Education Minister Eva Feußner, it is now also clear that the schools will receive a budget of around 20 million euros this year to pay for vacant teaching positions. In addition, the gradual better payment of primary school teachers by 2026 has already been initiated.
Science Minister Armin Willingmann (SPD) emphasized the contribution of the universities. At the Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg, a dual study program for 30 secondary school teachers is to begin in the 2024/25 winter semester. The model, which should resemble that of police candidates, is currently being developed. The aim is to make the training attractive and to allow the prospective teachers to gain practical experience as early as possible.
