Bernburg. District Administrator Markus Bauer is calling on the state government to ensure, in future, that greater consideration is given to rural areas when approving training courses at vocational schools. “You can’t keep concentrating everything in regional centres such as Magdeburg, Halle or Dessau for years on end and then bleed the districts dry financially through guest school fees. That’s too simplistic for my liking! We must all work together to ensure that rural areas remain attractive. That will only succeed if we create incentives.”
The District Administrator is thus responding to an agreement put forward in particular by the state capital, Magdeburg, which enables school authorities running vocational or general education schools to charge cost-covering guest school fees for pupils from other regions. The problem is this: based on past enrolment figures, the district administration – according to Anke Meyer, the head of the education department – estimates that an additional 400,000 euros in guest school fees will be due for the coming school year. The regulation on guest school fees had been repealed last year as part of amendments to the Schools Act.
Whilst the state capital makes the payment of guest pupil fees a condition for admitting guest pupils, the districts have agreed amongst themselves to waive these fees in order to reduce administrative burden and costs. Almost 730 pupils from vocational or general education schools in the Salzlandkreis most recently attended a corresponding institution in Magdeburg, as certain training courses are only offered there. Conversely, based on the approved range of training programmes, significantly fewer pupils from other regions are taught in the Salzlandkreis. The revenue from guest school fees is correspondingly lower.
District Administrator Markus Bauer explains that he will have to sign the agreement submitted by the City of Magdeburg, because: “If we do not sign, it would have a significant impact on the local economy. Apprenticeships could not continue, and young people might leave the region. We cannot afford that. We will not allow that to happen.” By signing the agreement, the District Administrator is sending a clear signal to businesses and school pupils: “We won’t let you down!” However, the District Administrator considers the approach taken by Magdeburg City Council to be inappropriate, “because it is one-sided and places the burden on the districts”. “Every visiting pupil brings in revenue for the local economy and, consequently, for the local authority’s coffers. The regional centres are therefore benefiting twice over from the current situation.”
The agreement between the Salzlandkreis and Magdeburg, which is now to be signed, is limited to the coming school year. Until then, the district administration is committed to finding a permanent arrangement with the state capital and the other regional centres that focuses on education rather than on the payment of contributions to cover costs. To this end, a moratorium starting in the autumn has been agreed with the Ministry of Education. District Administrator Markus Bauer says: “Every region contributes to a diverse range of vocational school programmes for the benefit of both trainees and companies. We all share this responsibility.”