Brandenburg's School Opening Celebrations: Preliminary Tests Prior to Educational Commencement
As the new school year begins next week in Brandenburg, the state is preparing for a record high of around 323,600 students, marking an increase of approximately 2,600 students compared to last year. However, the Education and Science Union (GEW) has expressed concerns about the upcoming school year, with GEW state chairman Günther Fuchs fearing increased absenteeism due to the reduction in teacher positions and the growing number of students.
The reduced personnel budget of the state is the cause of the teacher shortage, with around 255 full-time positions remaining unfilled for the coming school year. In Brandenburg, the number of teacher positions in this year's budget has decreased by 345 full-time equivalents. Class sizes will increase, and the proportion of lateral entrants will rise.
To address the issue of mobile phone usage in schools, Brandenburg has implemented a new regulation requiring private digital devices such as mobile phones or tablets to be switched off and stored during class time for grades one to six in primary and special schools. This shortage of teachers and the mobile phone ban are not unique to Brandenburg, as several German states have planned or implemented similar regulations.
For instance, Bremen has had a mobile phone ban at primary and secondary schools up to grade 10 since June 1. Hesse plans to generally prohibit the private use of mobile phones, tablets, and smartwatches at all schools from August. The Saarland also plans to introduce a mobile phone ban at primary schools. Other states like Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, Thüringen, and Saxony have similar regulations, with Bavaria's ban applying to primary and special schools.
Meanwhile, Brandenburg is not the only state implementing such regulations. States like Nordrhein-Westfalen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, and Berlin leave the regulation to the individual schools. In contrast, states like Bremen and Hesse have comprehensive bans, with Bremen's ban extending up to 10th grade, and Hesse's ban applying to all schools.
Education Minister Steffen Freiberg expressed "great concerns" about the current state of education, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges facing the education system. Despite the concerns, the Ministry of Education is cautiously optimistic about the new school year.
This weekend, approximately 24,100 first-graders will attend enrollment celebrations, marking the start of a new academic journey for many. Despite the challenges, the new school year promises to be an exciting time for students and educators alike, as they navigate the changes and work together to provide quality education for all.
In addition to Brandenburg, eleven more schools will open for the new school year, making a total of 953. With the new schools and the enrollment of the first-graders, the new school year in Brandenburg and other German states is shaping up to be a significant one.
