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Survey Finds Renovation Backlog at German Schools as Principals Report Funding Shortfalls

The VBE points to Baden‑Württemberg’s plan to deploy the infrastructure special fund as a model for closing the renovation gap.

Overview

  • Nationwide, 64 percent of school leaders say renovations are needed, and only about one fifth of those reporting needs have money available to proceed.
  • In state samples, 69 percent of principals in North Rhine‑Westphalia and Baden‑Württemberg report urgent works, with 57 to 58 percent saying their schools lack barrier‑free access.
  • Principals cite leaking ceilings, broken toilets, unreliable windows, and cramped or noisy rooms as conditions that undermine a learning‑friendly environment.
  • The VBE urges investment from the Sondervermögen for school construction and repairs, a call echoed by the German Teachers’ Association for measures such as better heat protection.
  • Baden‑Württemberg’s green‑black coalition plans to pass most special‑fund money to municipalities and to provide €300 million for building and renovating private schools, underscoring local responsibility for school facilities.