School: The township does not want to hire them –

German as a second language (DaZ) teachers are often the first contacts to meet refugee children in the Swiss school system. However, DaZ teachers not only help them get started, but also prevent expatriate children from sitting in the classroom like stupid fish.

Although the teachers who hold a class and a further education DaZ have long been part of the normal school, they are employed in the Canton of Zurich. They are therefore equal to therapists without a teaching diploma, such as speech therapists.

To change this, Monika Wicki (SP, Wald), Hanspeter Hugentobler (EPP, Pfäffikon) and Karin Fehr Thoma (Greens, Uster) submitted a parliamentary initiative to the Cantonal Council two years ago. This requires the cantonal employment of DaZ teachers.

"Patchwork" Job

Today, many DaZ teachers also teach music or English at the same time and are thus employed at the same time as the authorities. municipal and cantonal That's what Marianne Sigg, president of the Zurich Teachers' Association in German as a second language, who worked on this initiative said. If teachers work in more than one community, they often receive different salaries.

These "patchwork" appointments are not an exception, but the norm, says Sigg. This can be problematic because some municipalities are not affiliated with the BVK pension fund as the canton.

Without cantonal control, community growth is wild, says Sigg. Salaries and German lessons and admission classes that are granted. In addition, some teachers have taught too long without a DaZ diploma. This should be completed after three years at the latest. Without control, this rule could be circumvented by changing jobs.

The lack of recognition of DaZ teachers is also demonstrated by the fact that it is unclear how many of them are working in the township. "We started with 900 teachers for a long time and then it turned out recently that it looks more like 1600," says Sigg.

The concerns of DaZ teachers have recently suffered a setback. The parliamentary initiative was rejected at the beginning of July by 8 to 6 votes by the competent cantonal commission. Although it has been adjusted during the consultation, the canton should, like the teachers, fund 20% of the salary. This should lead communities to participate.

13 million more per year

The majority of the Commission sees no reason for further modification of the law after 2013, when small-cap teachers were cantoned. Already at that time, a minority demand, which wanted to involve DaZ teachers, had been rejected, the commission writes. In addition, some DaZ teachers should expect salary losses if the canton takes over.

Marianne Sigg does not accept these reasons: "In 2013, even swimming instructors were stationed," she says. She is worried about the equal treatment of teachers: "What happens to DaZ teachers is simply left to chance."

After all, the Commission fears additional costs. This is also supported by the Governing Council, which supports the opinion of the majority. It calculates 300,000 to 400,000 francs in additional administrative costs and 13 million labor costs per year. Since the representatives of SVP, FDP, CVP and GLP voted against the proposal to the Commission, he will probably have trouble in plenary. (Regional newspapers of Zurich)

Created: 26.07.2018, 17:55