Lessons lost at Saxon schools to be halved

A bundle of measures is to halve the number of lessons missed at schools in Saxony. This was announced by Culture Minister Conrad Clemens (CDU). In rural areas in particular, lessons are sometimes only covered to 70 or 80 percent. "Things cannot continue as they are now. Despite all the efforts of recent years, there are still too many lessons being canceled."

At least 1,400 teachers with full-time jobs are missing in Saxony

According to the Ministry of Education, there is currently a shortage of at least 1,400 full-time teachers in Saxony. In the first half of the 2024/2025 school year, the proportion of canceled lessons to the total number of lessons was 9.4 percent. Depending on the type of school and region, however, there is significantly more absenteeism. According to Clemens, the measures are intended to help strengthen secondary schools, relieve teachers and reduce bureaucracy.

Saxony had already taken steps in the past to combat absenteeism, emphasized Clemens, pointing to the permanent employment of teachers, better grading of primary school teachers, the use of teaching assistants and more places to study to become a teacher. "But it has to be said today that it is still not enough to cover the teaching in our schools."

Regulations on age reduction to apply later

In order to use teachers' working capacity more efficiently, existing regulations such as the so-called age reduction are to be changed. Until now, teachers aged 58 and over have been exempt from one hour per week, two hours per week from the age of 60 and three hours per week from the age of 61. In future, this regulation is only to begin from the age of 63. Currently, 92 percent of teachers retire at the age of 63, according to the report.

Future teachers should already be able to participate more in everyday school life during their teacher training. Secondments of teachers to the Ministry and the State Office for Schools and Education will be reviewed for their pedagogical necessity. The state office alone employs around 200 teachers.

Fewer written exams and class tests planned for the future

Other points of the 21 measures relate to teaching. For example, more lessons in digital formats and more interdisciplinary teaching are planned. Written exams and class tests are to be reduced in order to reduce the amount of correction work. There are also plans to make examinations easier, especially in secondary school. Lessons in classes for children from immigrant families are to be streamlined.

Clemens: "We have a very special situation in Saxony compared to other federal states. We have too few children in daycare centers and too few teachers in schools." If no countermeasures are taken, more and more lessons will be canceled. Following further consultations, the measures are to be decided at the end of May and then come into effect in the new school year.

Unions criticize package of measures

The response to the plans was mixed. The Saxony Philologists' Association reacted with disappointment: "The measures announced are intended to ease the burden on the school system. Instead, however, they will further burden our colleagues and, above all, demotivate them," explained association head Thomas Langer.

The Education and Science Union (GEW) and the Saxon Teachers' Association were outraged. GEW head Burkhard Naumann spoke of a "serious attack" on teachers. "In many places, it is the older colleagues of all people who have had to pay for the political mistakes of the CDU-led Ministry of Culture for many years."

"Once again, the screws are being tightened without solving the actual problems. Decades of neglect and short-term thinking in terms of legislative periods are now once again leading to drastic cuts for school staff," emphasized Michael Jung, state chairman of the teachers' association. Instead of developing sustainable concepts for the future, the burden is once again being placed on the backs of teachers.

Need for discussion with other parties

From the perspective of the Left Party in the state parliament, the Ministry of Education is proposing many of the right steps. However, there is a need for discussion with others, explained MP Luise Neuhaus-Wartenberg. It was incomprehensible that the state government wanted to make the integration of children with a history of migration more difficult.

The Greens saw light and shade. "Teachers should continue to bear the brunt of the CDU's failed education policy. But the motto should be: More support instead of more pressure," emphasized education politician Christin Melcher. The SPD parliamentary group announced that it would examine the proposals.