As the summer holidays draw to a close across Germany, concerns are mounting regarding the condition of numerous school facilities Representative bodies for teachers, parents and students have voiced strong criticism, highlighting a perceived decline in maintenance and upkeep
Officials point to instances where school staff and even families are taking initiative to address deficiencies during the break – undertaking cleaning or basic repairs They argue that the responsibility for maintaining an adequate learning environment should not fall on these groups
The Association for Education and Science (VBE) emphasized that tasks such as cleaning and renovation lie outside the professional remit of educators “Teachers are not there to clean, paint, or take out the trash Their task is to educate and nurture children” stated VBE national chairman Gerhard Brand, describing cuts to cleaning and maintenance as a detrimental depletion of school resources
Susanne Lin-Klitzing, chairwoman of the German Philologists’ Association, characterized the situation as a persistent problem She suggested that many local authorities are facing financial constraints and that achieving equitable educational standards nationwide requires greater federal involvement
The National Student Council also confirmed the existence of a significant backlog of repairs General Secretary Quentin Gärtner stressed that both teachers and students should be fully focused on instruction and not burdened with tasks like painting classrooms or procuring essential supplies
According to the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), Germany’s state-owned development bank, the national backlog of school repairs and necessary investments currently amounts to approximately 68 billion euros and is continuing to grow Representatives are now calling for a national investment program to address these issues and improve the condition of school facilities across the country