Pedagogical staff is missing behind and in front. While politicians and teacher representatives look for solutions, a director explains how big the shortage really is.
“The situation makes me very nervous. Two students attended classes at our primary school. However, this task should be performed by fully trained teachers. But they are missing,” says Elisabeth Seelmann-Kriegl, director of the Maxglan 1 primary school in the city of Salzburg.
According to Education Minister Martin Polaschek, the solution is very simple: career changers could start teaching after only a short training. But even that takes too long, says Regional Education Council Daniela Gutschi (ÖVP). “We need to shorten the training period and make the teaching profession more attractive,” she said in an interview with “Krone”.
Although lateral influx could mitigate the shortage to a limited extent, representatives of teachers and parents criticize this approach. “I am skeptical about career changers because the quality suffers. That cannot be the solution,” says Helmuth Schütz, the parents’ representative in Salzburg. According to Schütz and teacher representative Christine Haslauer, the shortage had been evident for more than a decade. “Politicians pretend that the problem is suddenly there, but we warned against that at the time,” criticizes Haslauer.
More than 280 vacancies for the teaching profession
In addition to a high wave of retirements currently affecting Salzburg, many teachers are also reducing their hours. “We currently have more than 280 teaching positions advertised. Many only want to work part-time,” says Gutschi. There is a shortage of teachers in every subject, with the majors and natural sciences being hit the hardest.
“Unfortunately, the shortage is not decreasing”
Elisabeth Seelmann-Kriegl is looking for three more teachers for the autumn. The director doubts whether she will make it. While there are students who could take a job after their bachelor’s degree, many remain in college. “They still have to do their Master’s in five years,” says Seelmann-Kriegl.
According to Statistics Austria, the population up to the age of 19, ie of school age, will increase by almost three percent by 2034. The number of people in work, on the other hand, will fall by 10 percent in the coming decades.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
