Nearly 400 teachers in Berlin have been on sick leave for at least a year, representing a significant drain on a workforce of roughly 35,000 educators in the capital. Of those, 225 are civil servants and 155 are salaried staff, with 18 teachers absent for a decade or more. The hardest-hit district is Marzahn-Hellersdorf, where 41 long-term sick teachers are based, followed by Pankow with 39.
The absences span all school types: 98 teachers are missing from primary schools, 54 from secondary schools, 34 from grammar schools, and 27 from vocational institutions. Long-term cases are referred to the state's Central Medical Assessment Office for evaluation, and 29 affected teachers are currently enrolled in a career reorientation programme.
The shortfall reflects a broader national deficit of roughly 27,000 fully qualified teachers, according to the Conference of Ministers of Education. With student numbers projected to reach 11.8 million by 2032, states including North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg are already struggling to fill schedules.