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Teaching in Aargau is not particularly attractive these days, at least when it comes to salaries. Compared to the average of the surrounding cantons, Aargau teachers earn quite poorly. Therefore, teachers often prefer to occupy a position beyond the cantonal border, the shortage of teachers in Aargau persists.
The average wages of the cantons of Bern, Zurich, Zug, Lucerne, Basel-Land, Basel-Stadt and Solothurn are used as a reference. A primary school teacher in Aargau currently earns 2,835 Swiss francs less in the first year than the average of her colleagues in these cantons. In the eleventh year of employment, even 12,594 francs, which corresponds to 11.5 percent or more than 1,000 francs per month. The differences are even greater for secondary school teachers: in the eleventh year of their career, Aargau residents earn 17% or 21,247 francs less per year than secondary school teachers in comparable cantons.
Can not continue like this
“That is no longer sustainable at this mass,” education director Alex Hürzeler told the media on Friday. To solve the problem, the salary system of elementary school teachers and school administrators will be revised, the current system will be replaced. In addition to the lack of competitiveness, this is also necessary because with the current system it cannot be ruled out that it discriminates against the professions of women.
In February the governing council presented the “Arcus” project, the proposal was in the process of consultation as of April 30, and yesterday the director of education and project manager Christine Fricker presented the adapted template.
Experience should count, not just age
At present, wages and salary levels in Aargau are calculated using a complex vector model. Age is decisive for individual salaries, not professional experience. With “Arcus” you must incorporate this and your work-related life experience. This has long been the norm in other cantons.
According to the new model, wages rise faster in the first years of your professional career than at present, towards the end this rise flattens out and the maximum wage is reached earlier than before. For kindergarten and elementary teachers, salaries increase throughout their careers. Under the new model, at secondary level 2, middle school, and vocational schools, they are lower than they are today at the beginning and in later professional years.
With “Arcus” in the middle of their careers, the salaries of vocational and high school teachers are higher than they are today, but they are not yet competitive. Therefore, configuring the system for these sectors from scratch, the governing council did not want that. Therefore, he suggests adding a three percent market allocation to these wages. This subsidy is already provided for in the wage decrees. However, according to Alex Hürzeler, this option is only used very rarely.
New salary system: 70 million francs more for Aargau teachers
Teachers in Aargau have a lower salary compared to neighboring cantons. The Aargau government wants to change that and therefore proposes a new wage system.
© TeleM1
Costs of almost 70 million francs.
Overall, the director of education is satisfied with “Arcus.” Aargau is moving away from its special solution to a “well-modeled salary system based on recognized standards,” he said. There is more differentiation rather than a sprinkler principle.
And finally, a distinction will also be made between functions in Aargau in the future. For example, if a teacher has the responsibility of the class, this is relevant for the salary in contrast to today, so he will earn more in the future.
Of course, change has its price. “The costs were an important topic in the hearing and will be in the debate in the Great Council”, warned the director of Education. His own party, the SVP, does not agree to spend this money (see text below). The new salary system generates additional costs totaling 68.7 million francs each year. Including contributions from employers, the net expenditure for the canton amounts to 50.6 million francs and for the municipalities 17.1 million. The steeper rise in the wage curve at the beginning, the higher starting wages, and the market orientation lead to these additional costs.
Association of teachers and directors of schools for adaptation
But these costs would be partially offset after a few years, says Kathrin Scholl, president of the Aargau Teachers Association. “The current system is more attractive to older teachers and more expensive career changers than to younger ones,” he says. That would change with “Arcus” and, in turn, would generate savings, which would have been calculated.
In any case, a new competitive salary system is necessary, says Scholl: “We have never had so many cantons of teachers as this year.” The shortage of suitable teachers is present and must be addressed. The association would have liked a little more transparency in the canton, says the president. In general, however, the teachers agree with the presentation.
This is also how the Association of Directors of Schools of Aargau sees it. The canton has suffered from a lack of trained teachers for years and thus can no longer maintain the quality of its schools, writes the association of school principals in its position paper on the salary review. Although the current age classification is attractive for mainstream people and for those who return to work, “it disadvantages the young and generates high costs because older people come and the younger ones leave.” The association is convinced that the new model will make learning more attractive thanks to career options, better salary evolution in the first years of employment and individual salary setting.
The Grand Council is expected to decide on the “Arcus” proposal in December. If Parliament approves the new salary system for teachers, it will be introduced on January 1, 2022.
