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According to the OAJ, the learning and skills shortages caused by the interest rate spring and previous resource cuts cannot be filled quickly. MAGAZINE / EMMI KORHONEN
The outlook for education and early childhood education is now brighter than last spring, says Olli Luukkainen, chairman of the Education Trade Union OAJ. However, he insists that decisions to support education must be continued in the September budget debate.
– The learning and competence gap caused by exceptional circumstances and previous resource cuts will not be filled in a year or two, Luukkainen emphasizes.
He estimates that teachers survived the crown spring with the support of colleagues and principals. However, concrete guidelines are now needed on how to proceed as the corona situation continues.
Luukkainen draws attention to the fact that more teacher layoffs have been pending for more than decades. He insists that one-off savings are not proportionate to the harm to learning. Under layoff conditions, teaching according to the curriculum becomes impossible.
Distance learning was detrimental to individual students
In the spring, the OAJ asked about the experiences of primary and secondary school teachers about exceptional arrangements and a return to contact teaching. Nearly 1,700 teachers and principals responded to the online survey.
According to the survey, three-quarters of teachers believe that the aims, content and working methods of teaching had to be compromised.
More than two-thirds of teachers reported that distance learning was detrimental to individual students. However, almost all teachers said that distance learning also had positive effects on several students.
Nearly all teachers also reported that their own digital and exceptional skills improved during teleworking.