The further education sector is at imminent risk of massive cuts, with both educational institutions and freelance teachers affected
The secretary general of the Education Union of BVMW has called for the creation of a social insurance fund for education modelled on the social insurance fund for artists. The reason for this is the so-called “Herrenberg judgment”, in which the Federal Social Court ruled that a music teacher should pay social insurance premiums because she is bound by the instructions of the music school and is included in the working organization of the music school and is therefore a dependent employee under the labour law.
The judgment was far-reaching, awakening the desire of the German Pension Insurance (DRV) to place as many hundreds of thousands of freelance lecturers in the education sector as possible in compulsory insurance or dependent employment, and then collect the premiums retroactively. The uncertainty for educational institutions is understandably great. The risk of massive cuts in the further education sector, which will affect both educational institutions and freelance teachers, is very serious.
“It is foreseeable,” says Professor Dr Martin Wortmann, General Secretary of the BVMW Education Union, “that we will build the next bureaucratic monster, go through thousands of assessment procedures, and the corresponding large number of bankruptcies will presage the next educational decline”.
Therefore, Wortmann calls for the introduction of a social education fund, modelled on the social insurance fund for artists. The introduction of a social insurance fund for artists has promoted the diversity and creativity of German culture. It enables freelance artists and publicists to be covered by statutory health, nursing and pension insurance with only the employee's share of contributions. About 190,000 self-employed artists and publicists are currently insured through Künstlersozialkasse(KSK).
The Education Union sees the concept as a starting point for justice for all practitioners in the education sector. “We urge the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to take responsibility and pave the way for a legally secure and practical regulation,” Waterman said. “To take educational policy decisions that are conducive to diversity and creativity in German education”.
About the Education Union
The Education Union for SME is an initiative of the BVMW, dedicated to truly improving the quality of German education policy. The Education Union is made up of 30 organizations and advocacy agencies from the education and business worlds and is the largest education network in Germany.