Thousands Take Streets of Dresden to Vent Frustration Over Education Policy
Thousands rally in streets seeking improvement in education standards - Thousands rally for education rights
If you're following the recent education-related uproar in Saxony, here's the scoop. Dresden has been buzzing with protests, as about 4,000 folks opposing the Saxon education policy took to the streets, as reported by union figures. The Education and Science Union (GEW) announced after a tumultuous day that employees from nearly every educational sector, along with parents and students, participated in the Dresden demonstration. This action was encouraged by the union earlier.
The anger of the masses stems from an education policy that systematically undermines their working conditions and weakens the education sector as a whole, according to GEW chairman Burkhard Naumann.
"We stand together - parents, students, and educators," asserts Naumann. "Together, we passionately demand: Education must rise above the priority list in state politics. Instead of empty promises, we require a reliable policy that invests in education rather than cutting it."
Naumann's deputy Claudia Maaß goes a step further, declaring it a "direct attack on good education in Saxony." She expresses doubt in the so-called measures for securing teaching, considering them mere mockery - adding that in reality, they achieve very little.
CDU politician Conrad Clemens, Saxony's Culture Minister, proposed 21 measures in March to secure teaching. Despite these actions, it's noted that at least 1,400 full-time teachers are stillmissing for full coverage, and 9.4 percent of lessons were missed in the first half of the 2024/2025 school year.
Issues between the GEW and Clemens surround the postponement of the so-called age reduction of hours for older teachers, necessitating them to work more, and the kickoff of a compromise discussion by Clemens has done little to settle the union's concerns.
The GEW is eager to ensure that its voice is heard loud and clear: the ongoing strains and deteriorations in the education system are unacceptable and cannot continue. On May 15, 2025, at 5:30 PM, a powerful demonstration is scheduled to take place at Postplatz in Dresden, with a statewide bus transport organized to bring protesters together from across Saxony.
The GEW also criticizes the lack of implementation of the Kita moratorium, unanimously decided by the former state parliament, in the current draft budget. The union believes it would prevent layoffs of educators and potential migration to other states, preserving the subsidy for carriers of Kitas.
Maaß criticizes the ministry for relying on decrees from above instead of seeking real dialogue with employees and solving problems collaboratively. This, she argues, shows political disinterest in addressing the issue effectively.
- The heated education-related protests in Dresden call for a re-evaluation of the community policy, as evidenced by the vocational training initiatives being a significant concern for protesters.
- The Education and Science Union (GEW) has questioned the effectiveness of the proposed policy-and-legislation measures for securing teaching in light of the ongoing issues such as the shortage of teachers, leading to concerns about the quality of general-news education in Saxony.
- The GEW is not just advocating for immediate changes in the policy-and-legislation but also emphasizing the need for long-term learning solutions, encouraging vocational training and self-development to strengthen the education sector in Saxony and ensure a brighter future for all.
