The idea of solving the teacher shortage by allowing staff to teach related subjects cannot yield results as it doesn’t address the core problem
When it comes to the lack of teachers specialising in certain subjects, this problem has long since gone beyond acute and become chronic. Analysing the need for teachers doesn’t require an excessively large engagement, as it is a statistic that’s available to the competent school administrations. However, it is concerning that there’s no solution on the horizon. According to unofficial announcements, a solution to this problem will be sought in legislative and regulatory amendments that will create the possibility for teachers of one subject to also teach related subjects, meaning, for example, that a physics teacher could teach mathematics.
Instead of instant solutions, it is necessary to work on the opening of a faculty for teachers, and to make these jobs more attractive to young people
Such a solution wouldn’t lead to increases in the quality of teaching, and I’m afraid that it would lead to the further eroding of quality that’s already questionable.
Serbia’s problem is that it doesn’t educate teachers. Qualified mathematicians, historians, geographers etc. emerge from our faculties and are not trained to work in schools, though such work is often imposed on them as an alternative. It is necessary to work on reforms that would lead to the establishing of this type of faculty, as opposed to instant solutions. It also goes without saying that the Government must make the job of a teacher more attractive to young people – not only in terms of higher earnings, but also by creating a better work environment.
