Simone Oldenburg Announces Fewer Missed School Hours in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Streamlined classroom shutdowns decreased by ministry's update - Reduced Pupil Non-Attendance as Per Ministries' Standpoint
In a recent announcement, Education Minister Simone Oldenburg revealed that less school hours were missed during the 2023/24 school year in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, compared to the previous year. At general educational schools under public administration, only 3.3 percent of the teaching hours were missed.
This reduction in missing hours translates to a 0.3 percentage point decrease from the previous year. The minister pointed out that the highest proportion of missed hours was at comprehensive schools, with 6 percent, and regional schools, with 4.8 percent. In contrast, gymnasiums accounted for 3.8 percent, special needs schools, 1.6 percent, and primary schools, a mere 0.9 percent.
The main reasons for missed hours and coverage varied, with illness being the main culprit for teachers or their children. Other factors included maternity leave, a ban on employment for pregnant teachers, or parental leave. Interestingly, the number of hours that had to be covered due to sick children of teachers has nearly doubled since the 2018/19 school year.
Multiple strategies have been employed to minimize missed hours. These include encouraging teachers to work overtime, hiring specially qualified substitute teachers such as retired teachers and student teachers, and combining classes and courses.
At vocational schools under public administration, 7.6 percent of all teaching hours were missed, a slight decrease from the previous school year. Oldenburg attributed this to a tense staffing situation.
Approximately 13.9 percent of all teaching hours in the 2023/24 school year were covered by another teacher or secured by combining classes. This is a slight decrease compared to the previous year. At vocational schools, 13.8 percent of the hours were for coverage.
In closing, Oldenburg emphasized the importance of fostering a healthier, more engaged teaching community to minimize missed hours and maximize student learning. The rejuvenation of the teaching staff in MV is indeed a promising development.
- Simone Oldenburg
- Teaching hours
- Teachers
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- School year
- Children
- Main reason
- Staffing situation
- Vocational schools
- Healthier teaching community
- Simone Oldenburg, in her recent announcement, highlighted the significance of a healthier teaching community as a strategy to minimize missed teaching hours, especially in the context of vocational training institutions in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- The Education Minister, Simone Oldenburg, identified vocational training as a key area of focus in her efforts to improve education-and-self-development, given the higher rate of missed teaching hours at vocational schools compared to other types of schools.
- Amidst policy-and-legislation discussions regarding education and self-development, Simone Oldenburg's commitment to addressing the staffing situation in vocational schools is underlined by her initiatives promoting vocational training, including overtime work and hiring qualified substitutes.
