Saxony is taking action: More money to combat lesson cancellations!

Saxony is taking action: More money to combat lesson cancellations!

In Saxony there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the cancellation of classes in schools. Education Minister Conrad Clemens (CDU) has now presented a package of measures that not only provides more money for schools, but also includes long-term strategies to stabilize the quality of teaching. From September 1, 2025, the budget for additional work lessons (M-A-U hours) will be almost doubled in order to relieve everyday school life and reduce absences. Loud MDR Around 11.2 million euros have so far been planned for 2025, which signals the withdrawal of the previous funding through overtime from the personnel budget for teachers.

But what does this actually mean for schools? The new regulations stipulate that each school receives a capped budget for overtime, with the amount depending on the size of the respective school. This change could particularly affect some schools that have paid more overtime in the past, as cuts are expected here. However, according to the Education and Science Union (GEW), the planned course correction is considered urgently necessary. The GEW Saxony had already pointed out before the start of the school year that the funds would not be sufficient to cover the needs.

Criticism and solutions

A particularly explosive issue is the unbroken trend in the cancellation of lessons, which in some schools reaches up to a fifth lesson per week. According to Clemens, this should be halved in the coming years. To achieve this, several measures are included in the package. For example, the age reduction will in future be granted from the age of 60, an improvement compared to the previous regulation, which only applies from the age of 63.

The State Office for Schools and Education will also take increased measures to balance the deployment of teachers and there will be new training offers. “There are some important innovations in the pipeline,” said the minister. A new version of the regulations on specialist advisors and school times is also being sought in order to reduce the workload for teachers.

Deficits in the system

Despite these positive approaches, the Saxon Court of Auditors remains skeptical. There is criticism of the increasing expenses for additional teaching hours, while at the same time cancellations are increasing by two thirds. Another major problem is the shortage of teachers, which causes both scheduled and unscheduled class cancellations. Loud School Saxony Not only are illnesses or further training measures responsible, but also construction work and other organizational challenges affect lessons.

The GEW also emphasizes that only a fraction of the one and a half million hours of extra work each year is actually paid, which puts additional strain on the teachers' situation. The classwork and exams in the new school year also need to be adjusted, which should be reduced and made simpler.

In conclusion, it can be said that Saxony is well on the way to tackling the challenges in the education system, but the path remains rocky. It remains to be hoped that the new measures actually have the desired effects and are not just a drop in the ocean.