Slashing School Absences: What's New in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Reduced Number of Classes Cancellations by Ministry - School Attendance Decrease Reported by Government Officials
Hey there! So, the buzz in town is about fewer school hours missed in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania during the 2023/24 academic year, as announced by Education Minister Simone Oldenburg. turns out, that's a 0.3 percentage point drop compared to the previous school year at public-administered general education schools.
As for the schools with the highest rate of missed classes, comprehensive schools top the list with a 6% absence rate, followed by regional schools at 4.8%. At grammar schools and special needs schools, it's 3.8% and 1.6% respectively, while primary schools saw a mere 0.9% of missed hours.
You might be wondering, what gives? Well, according to the Minister, teachers and their kids being unwell was the predominant reason for these absences.
Stepping into the vocational school arenas, the story's a bit different. We're talking a 7.6% absence rate, which is a slight dip of 0.2 percentage points compared to the 2022/23 school year. But why the fuss? The minister points the finger at the current tense personnel situation.
Oh, and if you're curious about how they made up for these lost hours, here's the wrap: teachers put in some overtime, hired substitute teachers and trainees, and even combined classes to fill the gaps.
Now, you might be curious about what caused these absences and the need for substitute teaching. Well, apart from illness, factors like pregnancy leave, employment restrictions for pregnant teachers, and parental leave also played a part. Interestingly, the number of hours missed due to teacher's kids being sick has more than doubled compared to the 2018/2019 school year. And, by the way, the teacher workforce in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania seems to be getting a bit younger.
- Simone Oldenburg
- Teaching
- Teachers
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- School year
- Children
- Main reason
- Schwerin
- BMBF
Some other factors like pandemic impacts, socioeconomic conditions, and educational policies can influence school attendance rates, but I couldn't find specific local insights for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. To get the inside scoop, it's best to check out local educational reports or studies from that region. So, keep your eyes peeled!
- Minister Simone Oldenburg announced a reduction in school absences in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania schools, with the highest rates seen at comprehensive schools.
- The main reason for school absences in both public-administered general education schools and vocational schools is attributed to teachers and their children being ill.
- To make up for lost hours due to school absences, teachers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are working overtime, hiring substitute teachers and trainees, and combining classes.
- Apart from illness, factors like pregnancy leave, employment restrictions for pregnant teachers, and parental leave also contribute to school absences in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The number of hours missed due to teacher's children being sick has notably increased compared to the 2018/2019 school year.
