TALLINN, 12 March 2004 - The SAO examined the lack of teachers in schools of general education, collecting information on the existing academic staff and analysing the preparation of the plan for government-commissioned education and the government’s possibilities of relieving the shortage of teachers. The audit leads to the conclusion that nearly three quarters of schools have experience difficulties in finding a certain teacher and that the government has been inactive as regards the organisation of the labour market for teachers.
Despite the schools’ problems with finding teachers, the government has not paid enough attention to the data collection – how many teachers are employed, what is the breakdown by age, length of service and other indicators. The latest data are from the year 2001. According to the SAO survey, almost one third of the teachers will soon retire. The prognosis for the next few years made by the Ministry of Education and Research indicates that the number of teacher’s offices will fall constantly, meaning that should be no extensive shortage of teachers. However, everything might not turn out as forecast, since the number of teachers has increased, although the number of students has declined year by year. Furthermore, the prognosis is too one-sided, disregarding some of the factors influencing the need for teachers, like the smaller classes that have been planned.
Insufficient data collection has also created difficulties in commissioning the universities to train teachers. For instances, the plan of government-commissioned education does not reflect the shortage of foreign language and science teachers or the surplus of class teachers on the labour market. The Ministry of Education and Research does not systematically collect information on how many young people receiving a teacher’s diploma actually take up that profession. The analysis by the SAO revealed that, depending on the specialty, 38 to 80 % of graduates become teachers.
One way of relieving the shortage of teachers somewhat is to bring people, who have higher education in the appropriate fields, but no a teacher’s diploma, into the education system. Currently this is hindered, among other things, by the requirement to complete courses at a university. Furthermore, previous work experience and independent personal development are not valued highly enough.
The SAO examined the impact of remuneration and working conditions on the teachers’ motivation and loyalty to the profession as well. The examination allows concluding that the current remuneration system is quite inflexible and does not motivate teachers. The shortcomings pointed out were that teachers have different inputs and that the difference between the minimum and maximum salary is too small.
For the purpose of improving the organisation of the labour market, the SAO recommended the Minister of Education and Research to develop the register of teachers, which is in the launching phase, into a database offering a wide range of possibilities and providing an up-to-date and realistic overview of the composition, location and shortage of teaching staff. In addition, we recommended expanding the possibilities of taking refresher courses, making the remuneration of teachers more flexible and school-centred and collecting and disseminating information on the fringe benefits motivating teachers that the schools and local governments have offered in order to relieve the shortage of teachers.
Sven Soiver
Press Representative of State Audit Office
Telephone: (372) 640 0787
GSM: (372) 53 414464
E-mail: [email protected]
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Posted:
3/12/2004 12:00 AM
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Last Update:
10/1/2015 12:13 PM
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Last Review:
10/1/2015 12:13 PM