Mine is a dream job

With the autumn term beginning this week, a journalist at the Neue Zuger Zeitung conducted an interview with Stephan Schleiss, the cantonal director of education, who as such is also a member of the cantonal government.
 
The 41-year-old bachelor, who is a member of the Swiss Conference of Directors of Education (EDK) as well the Central Swiss Conference of Directors of Education, belongs to the SVP party.
 
When Schleiss was asked whether he thought the skills of young people was the most important commodity the country had, he agreed it most definitely was and one needed only to look at the low levels of youth unemployment in the country to see that this was the case.
 
He added that it was important not to think that continual reform would improve matters and neither was it necessary to increase the number of pupils who take their school-leaving examination (Matura) at academic secondary schools. "It is far better to maintain the advantages of the permeability of the current system, enabling young people to embark on a wide range of courses of study. Neither is there any need to adapt to what neighbouring countries may be doing. I myself proposed at the EDK that Switzerland should no longer take part in Pisa-Study comparisons as we are being compared with countries who have no knowledge of our system."
 
When the journalist reminded Schleiss that he conducted his last election campaign under the slogan "More school and fewer reforms", the director of education said he still stood by this and emphasised that schools needed time to be able to digest changes, not that this necessarily meant there need be a lack of experimentation in schools. Indeed it was important to allow the individual municipalities to develop them as they felt fit rather than be dictated to by a higher authority.
 
As to the so-called "21 Syllabus", a major but controversial educational reform proposed for the future, he felt the important aspect here was that pupils' progress was not put at risk. "There are no problems involved in subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic but reservation has been expressed in relation to how the subjects of nature and people and society might be taught. In the end, though, each canton will basically be able to implement that what it feels is right."
 
As to teachers themselves, Schleiss agreed that these were, of course, pivotal, with all other aspects merely ancillary frame conditions. "Teachers must have the opportunity of putting their own stamp on the way they teach, and we need to provide them with the necessary space to do this. Of course, the school itself must be attractive in the first place in order to find these good teachers and this is where good frame conditions come in."
 
Schleiss also mentioned how he was reforming the 9th class in order to make it easier for pupils in their last year at school to move on to vocational training. Indeed to this end the municipalities and local businesses themselves were also involved. He rejected the idea, however, that it was necessary to start this preparation as early as in classes 7 and 8.
 
As director of education, Schleiss naturally met with the disapproval of some teachers in some decisions he had taken but he did not think that kowtowing to them in any way would be a good way of gaining votes. "I aim to be very open with teachers and I trust they know where they stand with me. The important thing is that the job is done properly and in a balanced way."
 
Now that the director of education has been a member of the cantonal government for four years, the journalist asked him if his job had met his expectations, to which he replied they had been surpassed. "Thanks to the good and constructive cooperation I enjoy with my fellow government members, starting in the job was made much easier, though I must admit the first six months were quite tough as I not only had to get to know all my new colleagues but also explain my philosophy to them. I must say, however, that, for me, being director of education is a dream job and I would prefer not to change my portfolio, though I know one must be prepared to do so."
 
As to his heavy workload with office lights burning late, Schleiss said that his policy of never taking work home meant he was able to enjoy his free time more, for example by reading, meeting up with friends and cycling; in fact he now the proud owner of a racing bike.