In February, the Education Directorate wants to announce the criteria under which teachers without a license can start part-time training in 2023. Nevertheless, there is displeasure in the cantonal council.
Not all school children in the canton of Zurich have a qualified teacher.
Last spring, the lack of teachers prompted the cantonal elementary school authority to take an unusual step. It gave school administrators the opportunity provided for by law to temporarily hire teachers who did not have a diploma for teaching.
About 500 people made use of it. The experiences so far have been basically positive, and the measure has eased the situation. It does cause additional work for elementary schools because these teachers have to be monitored more intensively. At the same time, the Zurich University of Education offers support and relief.
But what happens if the shortage of teachers continues beyond the current school year? In the cantonal council, the FDP and SVP therefore asked the government with an urgent postulate to allow these teachers to be employed beyond the 2022/23 school year.
Silvia Steiner under pressure
Such employment is expressly limited to a maximum of one year according to the cantonal law on teaching staff. In its response to the request, the government council states that it and the education department are bound by this legal requirement. It is not within his competence to allow the employment of teachers without a license for more than one year at the regulation level.
A colorful majority in the cantonal council was not satisfied with this. The Director of Education Silvia Steiner (middle) had to take a lot of criticism when discussing the initiative. The problem was foreseeable for demographic reasons, said the first signatory Raffaela Fehr (FDP, Volketswil). It is to be feared that in the summer of 2023 positions will again have to be filled by teachers without a diploma. Paul von Euw (SVP, Bauma) seconded that the education department was only half-heartedly concerned with the problem.
There was agreement that teachers who started their careers in the summer without training should be given the opportunity to remain in the teaching profession. But professionalism is expected, and planning for the next school year has almost begun, they said.
The Director of Education announced to the Council that her management is working flat out to enable suitable and interested people easier access to the University of Education next year. As soon as they start the training, they can be issued with a temporary permit for the teaching profession.
If that happens, it’s good, said FDP cantonal councilor Fehr. It remains unclear, however, which criteria apply to such part-time training and further education and which courses of study are offered exactly. Government Councilor Steiner replied that a solution could only be announced in February.
Call for planning security
The SP agreed with the content of the criticism from the Council, but considered the continued employment of teachers without accreditation to be the wrong approach. Together with the center and the EPP, she rejected the initiative. The Greens, on the other hand, quickly demanded planning security and, like the GLP and the AL, joined the bourgeoisie. The postulate was passed by 116 votes to 49.
The director of education also had to take criticism because of press reports that the teacher shortage task force last met in 2019. The SP, Greens and GLP also issued a parliamentary group statement. Silvia Steiner said that in order to cope with the shortage of teachers, changes in the law would also be necessary, which would require the cantonal council to do so. A task force is not required for this.