Candidacy of Berlin Green Party for the teaching position
In the heart of Germany, Berlin finds itself grappling with a significant teacher shortage, with approximately 7,000 employed teachers unable to attain civil servant status due to age or chronic illnesses. This issue has become a hot topic in the city's education sector, with the Berlin Greens so far rejecting the civil service status for teachers.
The current proposals aim to address this challenge by reintroducing the civil service status for teachers, a change that could make the profession more attractive and stable, offering job security and career benefits similar to those enjoyed by civil servants. This move is being advocated to counter the current shortage and high workload pressure on teachers, and potentially attract more qualified candidates into the teaching profession.
The Berlin Senate, a coalition involving the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD), is debating this issue amid broader challenges in education funding and staffing shortages. However, the road is not smooth, as there are significant budgetary constraints and political debates. The Berlin Senate has recently moved toward major cuts in university and cultural funding to redirect resources to other priorities, which influences education sector proposals.
The opposition parties, including the CDU and the AfD, demand the civil service status for teachers, while the FDP is against it. The Berlin Senator for Education, Scheeres, has recently changed her position and now also demands the civil service status of teachers. The Green Party's top candidate, Bettina Jarasch, is considering this step, but has expressed concerns about potential new inequalities in the teachers' room and has focused on multiprofessional teams as an alternative.
The Left Party continues to reject the civil service status for teachers. The top candidate for the Berlin Greens in the House of Representatives election, Bettina Jarasch, has criticized that Berlin is the last remaining state without civil service status for teachers. The civil service status of teachers was abolished in Berlin in 2004.
The notice periods for employed teachers in Berlin are very short, making personnel planning difficult for school leadership. Some teachers who were initially counted on by school leadership may suddenly start working elsewhere, such as Brandenburg, where civil service status is offered. The primary concern is securing a good teaching staff, especially after school closures during the corona pandemic.
While there is no official Berlin Senate decision fully implementing civil service status restoration for teachers as of yet, this measure is discussed as a key part of addressing human resource challenges in education. The issue is linked to broader education policy discussions underway as of 2025. Berlin faces a competitive disadvantage in attracting teaching personnel, and the debate over restoring civil service status for teachers continues to be a significant part of the city's education policy discussions.
[1] Source: Education Policy Discussions in Berlin, 2025
- The Berlin Senate's debate on restoring civil service status for teachers is part of a broader election-year policy-and-legislation discussion, with various parties advocating different positions – the CDU, the AfD, and the Berlin Senator for Education, Scheeres, demanding the change, while the FDP opposes it, and the Green Party's top candidate, Bettina Jarasch, has expressed concerns about potential new inequalities.
- This general-news topic unfolding in Berlin, with the city facing a competitive disadvantage in attracting teaching personnel, has been linked to broader education policy discussions scheduled for 2025, making the restoration of the civil service status for teachers a significant part of the city's politics.
