No concrete answers to the teachers' criticism

The municipality has known about the lack of teaching staff for "really, really many years", admits the chairman of the committee for children, family and education, Poul Petersen.

Yet the problems are so serious today that employees say they do not have time to go to the toilet, have to take on extra jobs to make ends meet and are collapsing with stress.

After several weeks of criticism from parents and teaching staff, Poul Petersen admits that the municipality has not found a solution.

- I honestly do not know. I cannot answer that, he says about why the problems have still not been solved.

On Friday, May 1, parents and teaching staff took to the streets in protest over the conditions.

Mayor of Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, Avaaraq Olsen, does not want to be interviewed. Instead, committee chairman Poul Petersen has responded to the criticism in an interview with Sermitsiaq.

He acknowledges the problems, but at the same time emphasizes that salaries and recruitment are outside of the municipality's direct control. - The fact that we lack staff is a well-known issue. Generally speaking, we are facing a problem of a lack of labor. The predominant theme is low salaries, says Poul Petersen.

Known problem for years

The municipality recently wrote that there is "currently a shortage of staff in the day care institutions in Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq" in a press release and encouraged students and pensioners to apply for part-time work in the day care institutions.

Is there only a shortage of staff at the moment?

- No, it is not at the moment. Right now it may be extreme, but it is changing, he says.

When asked how long the municipality has known about the problem, he answers:

- For many, many years. Even before my time. We really want to do what we can within our framework, but we cannot solve the problems alone. I think that realization is important. Sometimes it seems as if it is only a municipal task.

The municipality has, among other things, tried to attract more employees through social media and by finding more staff housing for employees in the day care institutions.

In addition, the municipality has also investigated whether pedagogical employees could be transported by bus to Qinngorput for free, but this was stopped by the rules in the municipal mandate.

- It irritates me to no end. There is a lot of bureaucracy that we have to overcome and it takes far too long, if you ask me, Poul Petersen insists.

Artificial respiration

The municipality has tried to recruit pensioners and students and offer further training to temporary workers so that their salaries could be increased, but Poul Petersen acknowledges that the measures do not solve the fundamental problems.

- Right now it is about getting “artificial respiration”, he says.

But when asked whether students and pensioners are a long-term solution, Poul Petersen is unsure.

- I don't know. It's an option that we have to look at. Then we have to see if it's sustainable or not, he says.

But what can be done in the long term? According to Poul Petersen, the situation requires broader cooperation between the municipality, the Government of Greenland and organizations in the area.

- I would like to invite you to a forum where we discuss what we can do. For me, it's important that we sit down together and say, 'Come on friends. Something has to happen now. And we won't open the door until we've found solutions.'

He points to salary conditions, education and legislation as areas that stand in the way of recruitment.

- Now the education is also in Ilulissat, and there are several people here in Nuuk who would like to take the education but can't go due to family reasons and more. Maybe solutions can be found for that. As a local politician, I cannot decide anything myself, he states.

- I cannot answer that

The problems in daycare institutions are far from new. 20-year-old articles describe the same problem of a lack of pedagogical staff in daycare institutions. The latest report made by NISK (formerly NPK) in 2023 also shows that almost half of the standardized pedagogues are missing nationwide.

When asked why it has not yet been possible to change the situation, Poul Petersen answers:

- Far too few are being educated. The problem already starts in primary school, where too few complete and continue their education, he says.

He believes that there is a need to think about new solutions.

- If we continue as we are now, we know where it will end. That's why we need to come together and look at new initiatives and solutions, says Poul Petersen.

He points out, among other things, the possibility of inviting researchers to come up with new perspectives.

- The initiatives we have today are not enough, and we will have to say that out loud, he says.

When Sermitsiaq asks why the municipality has not done it earlier, he answers briefly:

- I honestly don't know. I can't answer that, says Poul Petersen.