GEW calls for further demonstration against package of measures

The Education and Science Union (GEW) intends to continue its protest against the package of measures announced by the Ministry of Education with a further demonstration on May 15. The previous actions in Leipzig and Chemnitz have shown that teachers, parents and pupils are not prepared to accept the deterioration in the quality of education and working conditions, according to the Education and Science Union (GEW) in Saxony.

Hundreds of people had already taken part in demonstrations this week. According to GEW, around 1,500 people protested in front of the State Office for Schools and Education in Leipzig on Tuesday. Around 800 people took part in another action at the Karl Marx Monument in Chemnitz on Wednesday. The GEW had called for another demonstration in front of the Ministry of Education in Dresden in the late afternoon.

GEW chairman: "disservice" to the quality of education

The state-wide demonstration in May is intended to send a "powerful signal for a sustainable education policy". "The package of measures is a disservice to the quality of education in Saxony, as it will foreseeably lead to poorer teaching and fewer teachers in schools," said GEW state chairman Burkhard Naumann. Teachers would have less time for the individual problems of pupils and the workload would be increased by the work intensification.

The GEW called on the ministry to withdraw the planned measures. According to the ministry, these are aimed at better safeguarding teaching in the face of high absenteeism - especially at secondary schools.

More hours for older teachers - less relief

One central point of the package concerns older teachers: they are to teach more hours in future. The current so-called age reduction is to be restricted. Currently, teachers aged 58 and over are exempt from teaching one hour per week, two hours from 60 and three hours from 61. In future, this regulation will only apply from the age of 63.

The crediting of hours for special school tasks is also to be revised. In addition, prospective teachers are to be more involved in everyday school life during their studies. According to the ministry, there is currently a shortage of around 1,400 full-time teachers in Bavaria.