Two studies have forecasta serious deficit of teaching employees in Germany by the year 2030, with one study suggesting that the country’s school system could be in need of 81.000 teachers.
Germany set for shortage of teachers
Two studies have suggested that Germany will experience a significant shortage of teachers in 2030, although theydisagree on the severity of theshortage. According to a study presented to the Conference of Ministers of Education (Kultusministerkonferenz), theassembly of Germany’s state education ministers, in December 2020, there will be a shortage of 20.000 teachers by 2025. This is expected to be alleviated by 2030, with the shortage dropping to 14.000.
The other study, commissioned by the Education and Training Association (VBE), was headed by Klaus Klemm and came to the conclusion that the teacher shortage in Germany would be far more severe by 2030. Klemm’s study found that, by 2025, there would be a shortage of 45.000 teachers, and this would keep growing to reach a deficit of 81.000 teachers by 2030. The deficit is largely being driven by an increase in student numbers and a growing number of teachers going into retirement.
Not enough teachers being trained in Germany
The two studies, while using similar forecasts for student numbers and demand for teachers, tell two completely different stories in terms of the future teacher shortage. Klemm referred to the education ministers’ model as “dubious,” and suggested that the ministers may have underestimated the lack of younger people training to be teachers.
Germany’s education ministers expect as many as 349.000 newly trained teachers to be deployed across the country between 2020 and 2030. However, Klemm assumes that only 286.000 newly trained teachers will be deployed in this time period. "Even if it were possible to significantly increase the proportion of first-year students who aspire to a teaching position as early as 2022, this would only be reflected in an increase in the number of newly trained teachers at the end of the 2020s."
Schools in Germanycurrently face a number of challenges, including problems arising from the coronavirus pandemic, digitisation, inclusion, social support and all-day schooling. Klemm further criticised the education ministers’ calculations for not including several policies, which have already been approved by the government - including the legal right to all-day care, inclusion and social support - that will amount to an additional need for 69.000 jobs, but were excluded from the ministers’ calculations.
Teacher shortage threatens STEM subjects
Klemm expects that the shortage of teachers will hit STEM subjects, such as the sciences, technology, maths and engineering, particularly hard. "An analysis for North Rhine-Westphalia, which tends to be transferrable to the other federal states, has shown that by2030, newly trained teachers will only be available for a third of the positions for STEM teachers that then have to be filled,” he said.
The chairmen of the VBE, Udo Beckmann, claims that the education system, particularly in primary schools, is massively underfunded and, under the given framework conditions, pupils can no longer be given the necessary individual support they require. The VBE has called for a number of changes to be made to help combat this, including improving the availability and conditions of study places and support, as well as making jobs more attractive and calling on politicians to step in.
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FAQs
By 2030, a growing teacher shortage is predicted to leave Germany's education system short by up to 80,000 positions, putting future generations at risk of an unsustainable future. Dagmar Kappel, a teacher and administrator at the Ruth-Cohn-Schule for teacher training in Berlin.
Are teachers in high demand in Germany? ›
Teaching in Germany is prestigious and in high demand, offering substantial career growth opportunities.
Is there a shortage of German teachers? ›
BERLIN, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The shortage of teachers at Germany's elementary schools is set to end in the coming decade due to lower birth rates, according to calculations published by Bertelsmann Stiftung on Thursday.
How many teachers are needed by 2030? ›
On World Teachers' Day, new UNESCO projections reveal a serious global shortage of teachers in all regions of the world. 44 million new teachers are needed to meet the SDG goal of achieving primary and secondary education for all by 2030.
What is the problem with the education system in Germany? ›
More importantly, the German education system fails to provide adequate language training for children who speak non-native mother languages and shows a strong tendency to reproduce social inequality. It is safe to argue that current school practices institutionally discriminate against children of non-German origin.
Which profession has shortage in Germany? ›
Which areas are especially affected? Professions such as social work, childcare, and education, and sales have the the largest shortage of skilled professionals in Germany.
Which country has most demand for teachers? ›
China. China is by far one of the biggest employers of ESL teachers in the world. With the large job demand, plus the generous benefits packages and low cost of living, many ESL teachers are able to save most of their salary while teaching in China.
Do German teachers get paid well? ›
German Teacher Salary in California. $48,900 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $67,602 is the 90th percentile.
How much does a German teacher earn in the US? ›
German Teacher Salary
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay |
|---|
| Top Earners | $68,500 | $5,708 |
| 75th Percentile | $61,500 | $5,125 |
| Average | $55,663 | $4,638 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,500 | $4,125 |
Teachers do an average of 25-30 hours a week in Germany. Bear in mind that those hours are typically organized so as not to clash with school or workdays, so schedules are likely to involve evening and weekend work.
The shortages are not equal and never have been. As even national survey data show, it's about 2 to 3 times harder to fill foreign language, special education and STEM teaching positions than it is to find general elementary or social studies teachers.
What kind of teacher makes the most money? ›
8 of the Highest Paying Jobs in Education
- School Principal.
- University or College Administrator.
- Professor.
- Speech Pathologist.
- Instructional Coordinator.
- Special Education Teacher.
- Librarian.
- High School Teacher.
Research and innovation. The curriculum in the German education system is focused on innovation and research and provides opportunities for skill development. The country offers some outstanding research opportunities for students and has even partnered with several organisations to foster application-oriented research ...
Is Germany the best education system? ›
In fact, precisely because the German school system is so well structured and rigorous, it produces some of the most accomplished students in the world. In a 2015 OECD/PISA study, Germany ranked 16th in mathematics as well as in science, and students attending ranked 11th in reading.
Why is education cheap in Germany? ›
Today, Public Universities in Germany are known the world over for providing free education to both domestic as well as international students. The country believes that education should be free and accessible to all and hence, all measures are taken to ensure that quality education is available at no cost.
Are teaching jobs in demand in Germany? ›
Teaching in Germany is a highly sought-after profession with excellent career prospects. This guide offers insights into the advantages of being an educator in this thriving European nation. Teaching jobs in Germany are in demand due to the country's strong emphasis on education.
Which profession is in high demand in Germany? ›
High Demand Jobs in Germany 2023. Engineers are highly in demand in Germany, especially electrical, mechanical and civil engineers. The high demand for engineers is due to the flourishing automobile and machinery industry. So, you can grab some highly paid jobs in the country if you are skilled in engineering.
Which subject teachers are in demand in Germany? ›
Germany faces a shortage of teachers, particularly in certain subject areas like maths, science, technology and foreign languages, and at international schools. This presents a strong demand for qualified candidates with a Masters or Bachelor's degree in Education.
Can a foreigner be a teacher in Germany? ›
Those who have been granted 'teaching competence' ('Befähigung für ein Lehramt') can work as teachers in Germany. You can also work as a teacher in Berlin, if you acquired your professional qualifications abroad. To be able to do so, you must seek recognition of your professional qualifications.
