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Leipzig Reallocates School Social Work by Need as Bergkamen Faces Possible Halving of Hours

Reduced state funding is pushing municipalities to redefine coverage.

Overview

  • Leipzig’s city council approved a new steering concept that redistributes school social work based on criteria such as pupil numbers and migration background.
  • Due to lower state contributions, Leipzig will not staff all schools, so some will gain posts while others — particularly some primary schools — may lose them.
  • Roughly 200 people gathered outside Leipzig’s city hall before the vote to protest the cuts, including parents and school staff.
  • Officials in Bergkamen reported the city has been paying more than €156,000 on top of about €156,000 in state and required funds to maintain current hours.
  • If Bergkamen ends its local top-up, weekly hours would fall from 157 to 81.5, though current hours remain in place for now as the new budget is expected in early 2026 under incoming mayor Thomas Heinzel.