Tampere Struggles to Staff Temporary Special Education Posts

Only 19 of 49 temporary special education posts in Tampere are held by fully qualified special education teachers this autumn. Eighteen are filled by teachers with subject or class qualifications; the remainder lack suitable training and are mainly students. Those figures were reported by Aamulehti.

Ulla Ojalammi, the city's basic education director, traces the shortage to conditions since the pandemic and to rising, more complex pupil support needs. Hiring has been easier for permanent posts: this spring the city filled all advertised special education teacher positions and all but one special class teacher post.

Ojalammi says a learning support law that took effect last year has increased the importance of special class teachers, so a special education qualification alone does not always meet the requirements. Tampere University began a special education teacher training programme two years ago, but the shortage has not yet eased.

The situation echoes broader national concerns about education support after reforms extended compulsory education, exposing gaps in pupil support and prompting policy changes earlier coverage of education reform.