School start in Brandenburg: Teachers protest against additional hours and cuts!

School start in Brandenburg: Teachers protest against additional hours and cuts!

There are signs of change in Brandenburg, because the new school year begins next Monday, September 7th, 2025. Education Minister Steffen Freiberg has already presented the first measures to secure teaching in Potsdam. He admits that the financial situation is challenging and at the same time proves to be good at dealing with criticism of the planned changes. More than 320,000 students in the country are facing a school year that begins with fewer teaching positions and unfilled positions.

In addition, the number of full-time positions will be reduced by 345. Despite this number, overall more money is flowing into education. In order to master this balancing act, teachers should teach an additional hour per week from the second half of the year. This measure has already raised eyebrows and led to protests from school staff, parents and associations.

Protests and concerns

The critics, including the Brandenburg Association of Teachers (BPV), express concerns that the whole thing could lead to more canceled lessons, while the pressure on teachers increases and there is less time for the students. Freiberg emphasizes that the teaching provision in public schools remains untouched, but additional offers should be moderately reduced. However, many fear a collapse of the existing structures, which Vice Association President Alexander Lipp describes as an “implementation carousel” and warns of impending chaos in schools. Reductions are also expected in support hours and all-day offers.

The unfilled positions are a central problem. In Brandenburg, schools are starting with 255 unfilled full-time positions, while a further 341 positions, including part-time opportunities, are advertised. As of August 18, 1,533 teachers had been hired on a permanent basis and 1,142 on a temporary basis, with almost half of these new teachers being career changers. These are all developments that could impact not only the immediate learning environment, but also the quality of education. The minister emphasizes that the situation is better than last year, but the opposition speaks of whitewashing and expects an increase in class cancellations and a deterioration in the quality of education.

The education system under pressure

Brandenburg's difficulties are part of a larger German problem. According to a current report by the Leibniz Institute for Educational Research and Information (DIPF), Germany shows a great need for change due to immigration, digitalization, declining school performance and social inequality. Shocking figures show that around 52,300 young people left school without a qualification in 2022, an increase to 6.9% of school leavers. These developments could become even more important in the future, especially if educational structures are not reformed in a timely manner.

In the midst of these challenges, attention also falls on the teachers themselves. More than 12% of the teachers newly hired in 2023 did not have traditional teacher training, which makes the diversity but also the challenges in the education sector visible. Experts are therefore calling for greater support for early childhood education in order to reduce the existing educational differences.

It remains to be seen whether the austerity measures in Brandenburg under Education Minister Freiberg will achieve the desired results or whether new protests are imminent. The coming weeks should clearly show how the new school year will actually develop. Many questions remain unanswered, and not just teaching, but the entire educational landscape is under scrutiny.

For further information on current developments in education policy in Brandenburg, read rbb24, News4Teachers and ZDF Today.