Saxony Proposes Controversial Measures to Address Teacher Shortage

Education Minister Conrad Clemens plans to reduce teaching exemptions for older educators to combat high rates of class cancellations.

Saxony faces a critical teacher shortage, with 1,400 positions unfilled and nearly 10% of classes canceled in the first half of the 2024/25 school year.
The proposed reforms would delay reduced teaching hours for older teachers, starting at age 63 instead of 58, to free up the equivalent of 790 full-time teaching positions by 2025/26.
Additional measures include reducing administrative duties for teachers and reassigning some non-teaching tasks to support staff to maximize classroom time.
Teacher unions and opposition parties criticize the reforms as unfair and overly burdensome, particularly for older educators, while some parents support the focus on reducing class cancellations.
The reforms aim to halve the rate of class cancellations and improve education quality, but stakeholders remain divided over their feasibility and impact.