Project Summary
- In 2022, six forward-thinking Estonian companies—ABB, Eesti Energia, Fermi Energia, LHV, Metrosert, and Nordecon—initiated the "Lae end" education program to support physics education.
- The strategic goal of the "Lae end" program is to increase the supply of physics teachers and ensure a succession of engineers.
- The program popularizes science subjects, recognizes the teaching profession, and makes physics classes more engaging. Physics teachers are a source of energy, providing young people with a positive charge of knowledge.
- Research indicates that young people decide whether they like physics or not during middle school, which is why "Lae end" began by enhancing the educational experience at this school level. The program involved 10 inspiring middle school physics teachers from various Estonian schools.
- In collaboration with these teachers and education experts, 20 educational videos were created, accessible to all physics enthusiasts and covering half of the middle school physics curriculum, along with special educational kits for schools.
Situation Analysis
- High age - According to the OSKA report, one in four teachers is over 60 years old. According to the Ministry of Education and Research, every second teacher is over 50 years old, with Estonia having the highest average age of teachers in the world. Source: Eurostat
- Satisfaction - 60% of Estonian teachers have considered leaving their job, and 92% have experienced burnout due to low wages and overwork. Meanwhile, 26% of teachers feel valued in society. In contrast, satisfaction among our northern neighbors' teachers is twice as high (58%).
- Work hours and salary - Teachers work an average of 60 overtime hours per month, and a starting teacher's workload can reach up to 70 hours a week. One-third of starting teachers leave their job within three years. The salary level for teachers and lecturers in Estonia is second to last in Europe. Estonian teachers earn half as much as their Finnish colleagues annually.
- Succession - Only 2% of current students are interested in becoming teachers in the future. According to the Estonian Teachers' Union, there will be a shortage of approximately 5,000 qualified teachers in Estonia in the coming years. OSKA data indicates that nearly 380 general education school teachers will need to be replaced annually due to age between 2018 and 2025.
- Job market - According to OSKA, the next decade will see a shortage of 2/3 of engineers. Enrollment in engineering, manufacturing, technology, and construction programs has fallen by 25%. The ICT job demand over seven years totals over 18,000 people, while a maximum of 7,350 graduates from degree programs enter the job market.
Goals of the "Lae end" Program
Specific objectives:
- Include 10 inspiring physics teachers from Estonian middle schools in the program.
- Attract at least 50 outstanding teachers to apply.
- In collaboration with physics teachers and an educational startup, bring innovative teaching tools to at least 100 Estonian schools.
- Recognize and highlight today's physics teachers in Estonian society.
- Increase young people's interest in science subjects and encourage them to pursue futures in science fields.
Target Groups of the "Lae end" Program
- Middle school physics teachers (including those without a formal education in physics)
- The school community - students, alumni, parents, school leaders
- Companies employing engineering-educated staff
- Partners and professional societies - Estonian Physics Society, Praktikal, Videoõps
- Media – newspapers, television, radio, online portals, journalists
- Opinion leaders and decision-makers – Members of Parliament, politicians, school leaders
Message and Communication Strategy
Communication strategy goals:
- Launch the program and bring the vision initiated by the companies to the public.
- Campaign for finding teachers and introducing them to the public.
- Encourage companies to join.
- Amplify the topic in the media (featuring physics teachers, companies, and scientists as spokespersons).
Program Results
- The "Lae end" program aimed to nominate 50 teachers but ended up nominating 132 from 110 different schools across all Estonian counties, which is nearly 30% of the approximately 400 physics teachers in Estonia.
- Students were the most active in nominations, accounting for 70% of all submissions.
- Teachers participated in three training sessions (in August, October, and December), where they were introduced to innovative methodologies and helped to compile their toolkit for conducting engaging lessons. Guest experts shared knowledge on how to be even more confident as a spokesperson.
- Teacher feedback on the training has been positive, with 79% confirming that the program has already helped them in their daily work. A physics teacher from Rakvere Real School thanked the initiators of the "Lae end" program on behalf of the teachers and stated that such "charging programs" are needed to bring out unique and inspiring stories of teachers and to motivate them.
Program Results
- In collaboration with teachers, education experts, and the Estonian Physical Society, 20 educational videos were produced, which are available to all physics enthusiasts and cover half of the middle school physics curriculum (optics and thermodynamics). These videos have been viewed over 10,000 times to date.
- The program partner, Praktikal, has reached more than 90 different schools, 100 teachers, and inspires over 6,000 students in the field of physics.
- "Lae End" won first place in the "Positive Change" category at the Marketers' Union effectiveness competition, TULImust.
- Many companies have supported the program with good words, including the Employers' Confederation, the University of Tartu, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- Teachers participating in the program were recognized with a 13th-month salary.
Communication Results
- The program was featured in the media more than 120 times in 2022.
- Notable media coverage includes appearances on "Hommik Anuga," the Teacher of the Year Gala, "Õhtu!", "Terevisioon," TV3 Studio, and radio shows on Vikerraadio, Kuku, and R2, etc.
- Blog posts introducing teachers appeared in the education section of Postimees and on the Goodnews portal.
- Regional newspapers published stories about local teachers (Tartu Postimees, Virumaa Teataja, Saue Valdur, Keila leht, and Pealinna leht).
- The Parliament's popular science magazine, Riigikogu Toimetised, published an opinion piece by Hando Sutter, and the author introduced it along with Jaak Aaviksoo and Margit Sutrop in a panel discussion of the new issue, which was broadcast by ERR.
- As a result of the communication activities, a widespread resonance occurred in society. The coverage has sparked public discussions on raising teachers' salaries, popularizing engineering education, and making physics education in primary schools more exciting. This year's Republic Day speeches by President Alar Karis and the head of the AHHAA Science Center, Andres Juur, also highlighted the topic.