Record in Teaching Staff Stabilizes Classroom Supply - Lower Saxony’s schools see slight teacher coverage gains—but gaps persist
Lower Saxony’s schools have seen a slight improvement in class coverage for the current academic year. Education Minister Julia Willie Hamburg (Green Party) shared the latest figures ahead of the second half of the school term. While the numbers show progress, she warned that this does not yet signal a lasting change in the state’s teacher shortages.
The average teacher-student ratio in Lower Saxony now stands at 97.2%, up from 96.9% last year. This marks the highest level of available teaching hours in four years, with each pupil receiving around 1.71 hours of teacher time per week. Despite this improvement, the minister stressed that the situation remains uneven across different school types.
Gymnasien (academic high schools) currently have a ratio of 101.2%, meaning they are slightly overstaffed. In contrast, Hauptschulen (lower-secondary schools) sit at just 90.6%, highlighting ongoing disparities. Hamburg acknowledged the gap and urged newly qualified teachers to consider roles in underserved areas or less popular school types. To encourage flexibility, the ministry has proposed fixed-term contracts for educators willing to try positions in these regions first. The aim is to ease pressure on schools where shortages are most acute.
The latest data shows a small but notable rise in teaching capacity across Lower Saxony. However, the minister’s comments make clear that challenges remain, particularly in balancing staffing levels between different school types. The offer of temporary contracts may help attract more teachers to where they are needed most.
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