How bad is the teacher shortage really?
At the moment, Kirkkonummi , like the whole country , faces a shortage of early childhood education teachers . By 2030, this shortage will worsen further, as the quota for early childhood education is being changed so that two-thirds of kindergarten care staff must have the qualification of an early childhood education teacher or social services professional. The shortage has become so severe that municipalities have started competing even on salary levels. For instance, Kirkkonummi is offering salaries above the collective agreement . At the time of writing, Kirkkonummi has five open positions for early childhood education teachers . In February the municipality had six open positions . Across the whole of Uusimaa, municipalities and cities are recruiting over 100 early childhood education teachers . Without hiring new early childhood education teachers, the municipality cannot open additional day care places as the population grows.
How could Kirkkonummi stand out as an employer?
What if Kirkkonummi asked the early childhood education teachers already working here how the municipality could genuinely be a better employer and make kindergartens better workplaces? While the law and the early childhood education curriculum set requirements for what must be done in kindergartens, the municipality as an employer can still greatly influence what kind of environment exists in a kindergarten and what opportunities teachers have to do their work. Those doing the work also know best what they need in their jobs.
This would be a clear competitive advantage for Kirkkonummi over other municipalities and cities in recruiting the early childhood education teachers it needs. By genuinely giving teachers a say in their work and working environment, we differentiate ourselves in the labour market, improve the wellbeing of current employees, and at the same time improve the quality of the work itself, because employees who are well are more committed to their work . When we have motivated early childhood education staff, our children receive even higher quality early childhood education.
Let’s keep Kirkkonummi a family-friendly municipality and take care of our early childhood education staff!
I have written more about early childhood education: about the home care allowance supplement , about the adequacy of early childhood education , about the consequences of saving on children and about why education is the municipality’s most important task . Read more in my posts on early childhood education .
Other posts
-
A cold harvest for Kirkkonummi – weak budget
The government's mid-term session cut state subsidies and corporate tax. This significantly narrows the room for manoeuvre for local councils.
-
Education is the municipality's main task
Education is the municipality's most important task. Investment in education pays off far into the future — there are no quick wins.
-
Cutting early childhood education funding
The government plans to cut funding for early childhood education planning. In practice the costs will simply be transferred to municipalities.
-
Local nature must be cherished – Kirkkonummi
Not every forest needs to be felled. Local nature that is in active use in particular must be preserved, and it is an important part of our municipality.
