Berlin's New School Year Begins With Overcrowded ISS Classes

Berlin's new school year begins with overcrowded classrooms, particularly in integrated secondary schools (ISS). At least half of the city's districts have oversized seventh grades, with some classrooms exceeding 26 students. The situation has raised concerns among parents and educators. The issue is most pronounced in districts like Mitte, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, where classrooms can have up to 28 students. This is despite the fixed upper limit of 26 students per classroom at ISS. The parental initiative 'Kitastrophe' representative Ruth had warned earlier about overloaded educators and insufficient care ratios in integrated secondary schools. However, their primary focus is on early childhood education and kindergartens. State parents' representative Norman Heise criticizes the foreseeable issue of overcrowded classrooms at ISS, blaming it on intensified access to gymnasiums and a rushed changeover. Education senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch, however, dismisses the criticism, attributing overcrowded classrooms to isolated incidents and not the new admissions process. The situation is exacerbated by the number of children with special needs exceeding provided quotas, and many teaching staff being lateral entrants without full training. Practical problems, such as lack of space for additional benches, and social issues may also arise, potentially increasing the demand for school social workers. The overcrowding in Berlin's ISS classrooms is a pressing issue that requires attention. While some blame the new admissions process, others argue that the problem was foreseeable and could have been mitigated with better planning. The city must address this issue to ensure quality education for all students.

Berlin's New School Year Begins With Overcrowded ISS Classes