Gunnar Schupelius expresses his rage. - Urge to Preserve Music Instruction Institutions
The current system for music teachers at district music schools is in danger of becoming extinct. Out of the roughly 8000 instructors, only about 25% have permanent jobs - the rest are freelance honorary teachers who would also need to be hired in the future, but there's not enough funding for that.
Initially, this setup was beneficial for both parties. However, on June 28, 2022, the Federal Social Court ordered that music teachers be considered socially insured employees.
One year later, in July 2023, the social insurance organizations established criteria for all honorary teachers: They must be permanent employees if they're integrated into the music schools, meaning assigned to the curriculum and designated a classroom. This impacts nearly all music instructors.
The Berlin Senate's Cultural Administration has been struggling to find a resolution for a whole ten months. The teachers' union is urging for all honorary teachers to become permanent employees, which would entail an extra cost of 16 million euros annually.
Cultural Senator Joe Chialo (CDU) is still undecided. His administration intends to speak with the German Pension Insurance in late June, according to the daily newspaper "taz". However, what will the Pension Insurance say after the highest social court has already ruled on this issue?
The district administrations, reliant on funding from the Senate, are unsure of their next steps. By July 31, the honorary contracts will expire and would need to be renewed, which would be illegal under the current rules. Depriving employees of social insurance contributions is a criminal offense that could land someone in prison for up to five years.
It's baffling that a resolution for the music teachers has been elusive for so long. For years, the Berlin Senate has been bragging about not hesitating to spend on children and young people. They offer free school meals, free transportation via the BVG and S-Bahn, but there's not a single cent left for music lessons.
Music is not simply a hobby but a crucial component of education. Research demonstrates that students who learn music can perform better in other subjects and develop better thinking skills.
The demand for music schools is substantial as music lessons can be costly. Many families cannot afford it without the assistance of these schools.
Given the enormous funding for the renovation of the Comic Opera at a cost of 480 million euros, this amount could cover the expenses of the music teachers for 30 years. Allocating funds to support music education would be more valuable than the most expensive opera if future generations cannot appreciate classical music due to their inability to learn to play an instrument.
Is Gunnar Schupelius correct? Send your thoughts to: [email protected].
Read also:
- Schalke nears massive changes
- Immediately renew Terzic's contract.
- Forever imprisoned are Lea's disturbing parents.
- Gäher has faith in his Prussian units.
Source: symclub.org
