German teachers' union launches petition for better training conditions

The Thuringia branch of the GEW education union has initiated a petition calling for improved conditions for teachers undergoing their preparatory service. This crucial two-year period, following university studies and the first state examination, is when aspiring educators prepare for their second state examination and entry into the profession.

The union argues that the current preparatory service is often stressful, inadequately compensated, and marked by unclear structures and overload, hindering the professional development of new teachers. The GEW's petition seeks to transform this phase into one that strengthens, qualifies, and encourages future educators, rather than one that slows them down with uncertainty.

Specifically, the GEW is demanding revisions to the ordinance governing teacher training and the second state examination. Their proposals include granting trainee teachers stronger co-determination rights, establishing transparent examination criteria, limiting teaching obligations, and significantly improving remuneration during the preparatory service. "The preparatory service must be a phase that strengthens, qualifies, and encourages – not a time when young teachers are held back by unclear structures, overload, and uncertainty," stated GEW state chairwoman Kathrin Vitzthum.

Becoming a teacher in Germany typically involves completing university studies to earn the first state examination, followed by the practical preparatory service, which culminates in the second state examination. The GEW's initiative aims to ensure this vital stage of teacher training adequately prepares individuals for the demands of the profession.

“

The preparatory service must be a phase that strengthens, qualifies, and encourages – not a time when young teachers are held back by unclear structures, overload, and uncertainty.