Unrest in Brandenburg Schools: Protests Over Budget Cuts and Criticism Towards the Ministry of Education
Demonstration against the Finances Plan and Critique Toward the Education Department - Demonstration against financial plan and backlash against the Education Ministry
In Brandenburg, a growing wave of dissatisfaction seems to be brewing, as teacher shortages and expanded class hours loom large. The German Education Union, GEW, has announced nationwide protests, warning of future reductions in teaching positions. Tensions within the SPD/BSW coalition are mounting as well, with the SPD faction leader, Björn Lüttmann, criticizing the Ministry of Education's handling of a temporary hiring freeze for teachers and lateral entrants.
The temporary job freeze also extends to the proposed elimination of additional positions in the upcoming budget. Although teachers will receive one more hour of instruction, they will be relieved of other duties. However, this change has invited criticism from parents, educators, and the opposition parties—AfD and CDU. Coalition partner BSW considers the hiring freeze excessive, while Education Minister Steffen Freiberg (SPD) is expected to address these concerns at a special education committee meeting.
GEW prepares to resist
GEW state chairman Günther Fuchs announced that significant protest actions are planned during the budget negotiations in the Landtag in May. He pointed out that the number of teaching positions is set to drop from 20,783 to 19,604 in the next school year 2025/2026.
Lüttmann criticized the Ministry of Education’s handling, deeming it a "communication blunder." He proposed that the Ministry strengthens its work and communication efforts for better results. CDU faction leader Jan Redmann fears a "chaotic school start" due to the planned loss of positions for the next school year. The additional teaching hours are set to begin during the second half of the year, Redmann cautioned. Many schools may be forced to cancel classes as a result.
Finance Minister Robert Crumbach (BSW) is hopeful that teachers can be rehired promptly. "We need teachers, and we will hire more for the next school year," he explained. However, he was surprised that the Ministry of Education didn't have real-time data on teacher deployment throughout the state.
Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) recognizes reducing class cancellations as a pressing issue that he aims to tackle urgently. With teacher shortages increasing, class cancellations have become a common complaint among parents and students.
- Teacher Shortages
- Education Union
- Ministry of Education
- Brandenburg
- SPD
- CDU
- AfD
- GEW
- Budget
- Jobs
- Teaching Hours
- Potsdam
- Jan Redmann
- BMBF
- Criticism
- Protest
[Studies show that they may be a trend of declining interest in teaching careers among young people, and teacher education programs are increasingly struggling to attract new students.[1] Digital universities such as the German University of Digital Science in Potsdam are focused on the realm of digital education and might be unable to provide immediate solutions to addressing teacher shortages directly.[2]]
- The Education Union (GEW) is planning significant protest actions during the budget negotiations in May, citing a decrease in teaching positions from 20,783 to 19,604 in the next school year, as stated by GEW state chairman Günther Fuchs.
- Jan Redmann, the CDU faction leader, fears a chaotic school start due to the planned loss of positions for the next school year, and warns that many schools may be forced to cancel classes as a result.
- Finance Minister Robert Crumbach (BSW) is optimistic that teachers can be rehired promptly, but was surprised that the Ministry of Education didn't have real-time data on teacher deployment throughout Brandenburg.
