Overview
- New half‑year data show 9.1% of lessons did not take place in 2025/26 H1, with planned cancellations down to 3.3% from 3.7% and unplanned cancellations essentially flat at 5.8% from 5.7%.
- Oberschulen saw the largest improvement as planned losses fell from 8.0% to 5.9%, while Gymnasien and Förderschulen edged better and Grundschulen and vocational centers worsened to 1.4% and 1.8% respectively.
- Regional disparities remain stark, including Oberschulen with 2.1% planned loss in Landkreis Leipzig versus 9.8% in Görlitz, and special schools with 8.4% in Dresden versus 14.2% in Meißen.
- The education ministry attributes the drop to longer hours for older teachers, expanded digital and cross‑subject teaching, fewer tests, and more than 5,000 secondments to Oberschulen, and says no course correction is needed.
- Unions and parent leaders argue the gains rely on overtime, heavier workloads, reassignments, and cuts to activities and school social work, a dispute now shaping fresh budget negotiations.