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Gordon Hoffmann Sworn In as Brandenburg Education Minister With Pledge to Reform Schools

The CDU’s takeover from the SPD after three decades raises expectations for a reset in school policy.

Overview

  • Hoffmann was appointed and sworn in on March 18 by Minister-President Dietmar Woidke to lead the Education, Youth and Sport ministry.
  • He said he will visit many schools and consult widely as he advances CDU plans to introduce new curricula.
  • According to coalition reporting, the program under development includes an extra weekly German lesson, more time for reading and arithmetic, and roughly 250 additional teacher posts.
  • Brandenburg’s schools have fared poorly in comparative assessments in recent years, heightening pressure for measurable improvements.
  • Hoffmann highlights his second-chance educational path—nearly failing to finish school and later retraining—which he says informs his approach; a former class teacher publicly expressed pride in his appointment.