Schoolplatz chaos in Cologne: parents on stress - who gets a place?

Schoolplatz chaos in Cologne: parents on stress - who gets a place?

Köln, Deutschland - School places in Cologne is increasingly becoming a tense and confusing undertaking for parents and students. On March 20, 2025, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger that parents in the city are confronted with an acute lack of available school places. At the recent open house at a popular high school, the rush was overwhelming, while it was more relaxed in neighboring quarter. However, there are hardly any available places here.

In Cologne, the parents have to state their first and second wishes, but the allocation of school places is unjust and leads to unnecessary stress for everyone involved. 24rhein explains that despite the registration period from April 12 to 16, 2021, not all students get a place at their desired school. Registrations are usually announced in April, but many parents are already looking for information about the capacities of the schools.

stress due to a lack of information

The city of Cologne provides parents with information on schools with free places, but the exact number of available places remains unclear. As a result, parents try to get information under their hand out of uncertainty. Again and again the parents are advised to contact schools directly in order to find alternatives in the event of a cancellation. This not only represents a challenge for the parents, but also overloads the school secretariats, which are faced with a flood of inquiries.

The system gives the impression of an "unworthy game", in which parents become competitors from classmates in the fight for the best school places. Parents observe the reactions of others and often have to carry out decision -making processes under time pressure, which exerts additional pressure on them. The emotional stress should not be underestimated for many families.

A look at the education system

The context of this topic is also the education system in Germany, which is considered decentralized and federalist. According to Federal Center for Political Education are responsible for education policy, which can lead to significant differences in school placement. As a rule, compulsory schooling begins with the age of six and extends to the age of 18. The system is divided into several fields of education, whereby the secondary area I comprises various school forms such as secondary school, secondary school and high school.

The Current Situation in Cologne shows that the challenges in school placement not only reflect local issues, but also structural problems in the German education system. An inclusive and just education system that enables all children access to high -quality education remains a central social issue that must be addressed in the coming years.