Brandenburg's Education Minister Announces Additional Mandatory Teaching Hour for Teachers

Planned Measures

In addition, an additional mandatory teaching hour per week is to apply from the second half of the 2026/27 school year for all civil-service teachers. Hoffmann justified the step by saying that, calculated this way, more teaching hours could be covered. The GEW Brandenburg has already warned in the past against placing further burdens on teachers who are already heavily strained.

The opposition sharply criticized the plan. The SPD and CDU accused the state government of failings in the hiring and training of teachers, as can be seen from the available statements. The Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht also expressed rejection. According to the ministry, the distribution of the missing positions across schools in cities such as Cottbus and in rural areas is very uneven.

Initial reactions from the schools have been muted. School principals report that substitute schedules are already reaching their limits in many places during the first weeks of the school year. Parents' associations fear that teaching hours will have to be cut or combined if more staff are not made available in the short term.

Reactions from Schools and Politics

The Ministry of Education also pointed out that additional appointments in the preparatory service are planned. Lateral entry programs are also to be expanded in order to make it easier for people with other professional qualifications to switch into the teaching profession. However, these measures will only have an effect in the medium term.

Hoffmann also announced that talks would be held with the staff councils on the concrete design of the additional mandatory teaching hour. The GEW Brandenburg had recently warned against further burdening the already heavily strained teachers. According to the ministry, an agreement has not yet been reached.

Structural Problem in the School System

Overall, the development illustrates the structural personnel shortage in Brandenburg's school system. Other federal states are also struggling with similar problems, as comparative figures from recent years show. In the current school year, the situation will be observed closely, especially in the first weeks after the start of school.