Overview
- The education ministry says lesson cancellations have declined for the first time in about a decade and credits a new package of measures.
- Official data put missed instruction at 4.3% in the 2024/25 school year, with a teacher shortfall of about 1,400 according to the ministry and 3,500 according to the SLV.
- Measures cited include flexible reassignments between schools, fewer release hours and delayed retirement privileges to keep more classes staffed.
- The SLV and GEW argue workloads are rising and problems are being relocated rather than solved, with the GEW filing a lawsuit and calling the reassignments a short-term fix.
- Teacher groups call for substantial support staff, including 1,400 school assistants and about 1,200 additional school social workers, as a petition seeks to halt the package and the minister prepares new school data for November 18.