Rising Ministries' Staff Members Draw Criticism from Audit Office - Ministry staff under scrutiny: Allegations of excessive growth unaddressed by the ministry.
Revised Article:
State Government in Hot Waters: Soaring Numbers of Ministry Staff as Criticized by Audit Office
Hey there! Let's dive into a juicy piece of news happening over in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
An eye-opening report from the State Audit Office has put the spotlight on the State Government, pointing fingers at an alarming increase in staff numbers, particularly at the top positions. The State Audit Office President, Martina Johannsen, highlighted in Schwerin during the presentation of the 2025 annual report that the number of positions within the State Chancellery and ministries has grown by a whopping 22% over the last decade, undoing the staff reduction of the previous ten years. That's while the region's population has slightly decreased from 2014 to 2024.
In the upper and lower state authorities, the core area of state activity, as per the Audit Office, the number of positions increased by 10.8% between 2014 and 2024, according to the report. Major contributors to this were increases in teaching staff and police, revealed Johannsen.
Notably, if we exclude the state police and teaching staff, the personnel in the upper and lower state authorities grew by a more moderate 4.6%, less than at the ministerial level.
Teachers Migrating to the Ministry
The opposition CDU in the state parliament has sternly criticized the practice of transferring teachers from schools to the ministry. Education spokesman for the CDU faction, Torsten Renz, voiced his concern: "Despite promises to the contrary, the number of teaching staff employed in the Ministry of Education has increased again - from 103 in 2023 to 115 in 2024." Instead of sending teachers back to schools, Minister of Education Simone Oldenburg (Left) is further increasing the number of ministry positions. This move is seen as a slap in the face for all schools struggling to find staff, said Renz.
A Call for Review and External Expertise
Johannsen recommended a comprehensive review of the tasks in the ministries and the way they are carried out. "Who is processing which tasks, which tasks even need to be processed, how is the work organized, where is something possibly being processed twice by different departments - all of this needs to be urgently reviewed and partly reorganized," said the highest auditor of the state.
"Task criticism has been neglected for a decade," critized Johannsen. If this does not change on its own, she suggested bringing in external expertise, such as a consulting firm, to lend a helping hand. If the reform does not take place, she sees a grim future for the state, as the state's expenses would soon significantly exceed its revenues, according to the State Audit Office President.
Other Problem Areas Surface
The State Audit Office report also brought to light other issue areas. For example, it criticizes the lack of a strategy by the state for promoting investments in sports halls and sports facilities, stating there are no conceptual foundations and concrete goals. The state does not even have an up-to-date overview of the sports facilities in the country, the report pointed out. Although most sports facilities are in municipal hands, the funding volume for associations in 2020 was significantly higher than that for municipalities, at around 2.8 million euros compared to around 1.1 million euros.
Possible Misuse of Integration Projects Funds
The auditors uncovered a multitude of suspected cases of mismanagement in integration projects for migrants. Fake invoices, missing receipts, incorrect working hours - the list of criticisms from the State Audit Office regarding the handling of project carriers with state funding is long. There are several different programs that sometimes overlap, leading to a lack of transparency, it was reported.
The auditors' conclusion: "The ministry should examine to what extent funds should be recovered." The state has reportedly provided over 24 million euros for integration measures for immigrants over the past 20 years.
The opposition AfD demanded: "All books of dubious social associations for migrant support must be audited." Business managers and accounting staff may have to face accountability, according to the AfD's budget spokesman, Martin Schmidt, who criticized the apparent lack of scrutiny by the state in the past. "For years, many of these associations could apparently operate with self-serving fictional accounting," he said.
Whew, that's a lot to take in, right? Politics and money, always a thrilling combo! Just remember, this is only one piece of the story. Keep watching this space for updates, as this tale surely doesn't end here!
- State Government
- State Audit Office
- Schwerin
- Teachers
- CDU
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Police
- Ministry of Education
- AfD
InsightsIn broader discussions, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is seeking funds for port development as part of Germany's infrastructure plans, which could potentially influence staffing decisions and state expenses. To address the issue of increasing staff numbers and their financial impact, a state government typically would need to:
- Review and Analysis: Conduct a thorough review of current staffing levels and their alignment with state needs.
- Budget Reevaluation: Assess the state budget to identify areas for cost savings or reallocation.
- Strategic Planning: Develop a strategic plan that aligns staffing with long-term goals and potential economic benefits.
- Communication and Transparency: Engage with the State Audit Office and other stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Policy Adjustments: Consider policy changes that could help manage staffing levels effectively.
- The State Government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, currently under scrutiny for soaring staff numbers, might find it beneficial to implement a policy focusing on reduced vocational training expenses for individuals in the field of policy-and-legislation and politics, to potentially decrease the number of positions in the Ministry of Education and increase efficiency in the state's administrative body.
- Expanding the scope of vocational training programs related to policy-and-legislation and politics within educational institutions throughout Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as part of the state's general-news, could serve as a platform for nurturing skilled professionals to aid in optimizing the state's staff structure and adhering to the guidelines provided by the State Audit Office.
