No Primary School Report - State Parliament Wants to Relieve Teachers - Brandenburg scraps teacher assessments in bold education reform move
Brandenburg has implemented new educational reforms that eliminate teacher assessments, or 'consumer reports', for students transitioning to Gymnasium. The changes also include an extra weekly teaching hour for 'teachers pay teachers', educators, in exchange for reduced administrative tasks. Critics and supporters have already weighed in on the adjustments.
The reform removes the need for 'teachers' to write detailed assessment reports when pupils move to Gymnasium. Instead, admission will rely on a weighted grade average or entrance exam results. Education Minister Steffen Freiberg defended the shift, emphasizing that grade-based selection and parental choice remain intact.
'Teachers' will now work an additional hour per week, with the extra time offset by reduced paperwork. The move aims to cut administrative burdens, a goal supported by SPD spokesperson Katja Poschmann, who highlighted greater flexibility for schools. CDU's Kristy Augustin, a school principal and reform advocate, called the changes a positive but incomplete step toward easing 'teacher' workloads.
Opposition parties AfD and BSW criticized the removal of assessment reports, warning it could make admissions more rigid by relying solely on grades. CDU parliamentary manager Dennis Hohloch also voiced concerns, particularly about the merging of social studies and natural sciences (GeWi and NaWi) into combined subjects. Meanwhile, local districts have raised worries about potential overcrowding in Gymnasiums due to higher placement rates.
The reforms will now see Brandenburg's 'teachers' working slightly longer hours while handling less paperwork. Admission to Gymnasium will depend on grades or exam performance, without additional 'teacher' evaluations. The government maintains that the changes balance efficiency with fairness, though debates over capacity and subject structure continue.
