According to a survey carried out for the teaching union DLF, 44 of Denmark’s 93 municipalities are planning budget cuts at public schools next year, the teachers’ trade magazine Folkeskolen.dk reports.
Bjørn Hansen, the head of DLF’s school and education policy committee, said that this, coupled with the teachers’ current workload, jeopardises the quality of education.
“We can’t see there being room for more savings,” he said.
“We already hear about teachers with 30-32 teaching hours. If the teachers are to deliver quality, then they need to be able to prepare classes. And if the teachers need to teach more than now, that won’t be the case.”
The survey reveals that 24 municipalities will reduce the level of support for pupils with special learning needs, supply teacher coverage will fall in 19 municipalities, and non-classroom time will be cut in 24 municipalities.
The municipal budgets are expected to be officially announced in under a month’s time.
