Overview

• Brandenburg's education ministry lifted a six-day hiring pause for teachers, initially implemented to assess budget allocations for the upcoming school year.
• The hiring freeze, combined with planned staffing reductions and workload increases for teachers, has faced backlash from unions, parents, and opposition parties.
• Education Minister Steffen Freiberg clarified that all qualified teachers and side entrants will now receive hiring offers, addressing concerns about prolonged disruptions.
• The teachers' union GEW has announced large-scale protests for May, particularly on May 21 in Potsdam, opposing the freeze and planned reduction of teacher positions.
• Internal coalition tensions have surfaced, with SPD leaders criticizing the ministry's handling of the freeze as a communication failure.