Organisational aspects

Elementary education

Independent of the staff category concerned, members of teaching teams and multi-professional teams have the right and the obligation to deepen their professional skills via continuing training. Teachers and supply teachers have to use at least eight hours of the 126 hours spent in the school’s and pupils’ interest for continuing professional development. For educators and graduate educators, a minimum of 40 hours of continuing training has been specified.

Each year, the Minister of Education determines priorities and obligatory trainings and ensures that a regular offer is provided. The Institute for Continuing Training of School Teachers and Educational Staff (IFC; Institut de formation continue du personnel enseignant et éducatif des écoles et des lycées) organises an offer which is adapted to these priorities and to the teachers' timetable. It also provides targeted training for staff on key positions (multipliers, school presidents, members of school committees, …).

Continuing training either responds to individual or collective needs of teaching or multi-professional teams or to local, regional or national specificities.

Currently, training plans are not compulsory, but they are strongly encouraged. School committees (comités d’école) have the mission to determine the personnel’s need for continuing professional development. Schools may define collective measures corresponding to their specific objectives within the obligatory school success plans (see article 11.1). Furthermore, the development of shared visions and the practice of team teaching (see article 14.3, Reform of elementary education) should lead to a growing awareness of learning needs and possibilities for continuing development.

Secondary education

The Grand-Ducal regulation determining the secondary and technical secondary school teachers’ work (Règlement grand-ducal du 24 juillet 2007 portant fixation de la tâche des enseignants des lycées et lycées techniques) foresees 72 hours of verifiable availability per academic year according to the needs of the secondary school’s organisation. They include a minimum of eight hours of certified continuing training.

Each secondary school which organises training activities together with the IFC has to nominate two training delegates (délegué à la formation continue). Training delegates coordinate the trainings which are held in their school. They are appointed by the Minister for a renewable three-year term on joint proposition of the Principal and the IFC. The IFC ensures the training, monitoring and professional exchange among training delegates.

Within the concept SCHiLW (Schulinterne Lehrer/innen-Weiterbildung), the IFC further supports secondary schools that are willing to set up training plans (plans de formation). These plans contribute to a better coherence between the school’s objectives and the teachers’ training activities. They are not compulsory.

Incentives for participation in continuing professional development (CPD) activities

Continuing vocational training of elementary and secondary school staff takes place during their working hours but, if possible, not during the time of school lessons. Staff members do not pay any fees for training organised by the IFC. However, no salary increases or credits for promotion are foreseen.