In the Czech Republic, pre-school children are taught by an army of 22,000 female teachers and only 27 male teachers. The Education Ministry says this is a problem and is preparing a plan to bring more men into kindergartens. It will be good for the children, the ministry says.
Low salaries. And difficult qualification exams, tailored toward women. These are the two key obstacles preventing more men from entering the kindergarten teacher workforce. The problem begins with the university entrance exams. “Many guys are deterred by such requirements as knowing how to play the recorder,” says psychologist Václav Šenberger from the The League of Open Men, an organisation that is helping the ministry prepare a project to recruit more male teachers into kindergartens.
The value of male influence
“In our field, you sometimes see male students. Right now, for instance, there are two men studying for a combined degree at the faculty. But most will not end up working in a kindergarten because the pay is low and they wouldn’t be able to provide for their family,” says Eva Svobodová from the University of South Bohemia. At Charles University, the situation is not very different. There are 68 people studying to become kindergarten teachers. It would be very hard to find any men among them.
Most experts agree that kindergartens would benefit from having more male teachers. “Especially the children of divorced parents, but not only they, need a male model when they are in pre-school age. It’s about building respect,” says psychologist Zdena Baranniková.
A women’s profession?
According to the most recent statistics, there are currently 150,601 teachers in this country. Of that 114,536 are women. In most European countries, the ratio of male to female educators is more even. For instance, in Finland, 30% of the teachers are male. In Norway, it is nearly 40%, while in Switzerland it is 42%.
p>The ministry took inspiration from Scandinavian countries in coming up with the plan. There, male teachers are much more common in kindergartens, and the methods of instruction reflect that. Children, for instance, spend time working in a garden or learn simple wood-working methods.
So what can the ministry do without raising teachers’ salaries? For now, besides engaging in discussion with international experts, it can train education advisors. “They should be able to explain to children that there are different options out there and that they don’t need to choose between purely male or purely female professions,” says Klára Laureníčková, director of the ministry’s department for equal opportunities in the education system.
