Kick-off to Saxony-Anhalt's academic year marked by numerous advancements
Saxony-Anhalt, a region in eastern Germany, is gearing up for an exciting new school year. Here's a look at some of the key developments and initiatives that are set to shape the educational landscape.
The Ministry of Education in Saxony-Anhalt has announced the introduction of a new personnel category - pedagogical teaching assistants - from the 2025/2026 school year. The exact roles and responsibilities of these assistants are yet to be defined, but they are expected to support teachers by providing educational assistance, managing classroom activities, and assisting with administrative tasks.
To address the ongoing challenge of teacher demand, 133 new pedagogical staff have been hired this year. Despite the nationwide tight teacher market and the impact of the Ukraine war, teaching supply in Saxony-Anhalt has been maintained at 93.6%.
In an effort to attract and retain teachers, the Ministry has launched the Weltenretter campaign, providing information on measures to attract and retain teachers. Additionally, lateral entrants to teaching will see an increase in remuneration.
To support teachers and students in text-based tasks, the "FelloFish" tool will be introduced in the 2025/2026 school year, providing individual feedback. The first 152 positions will be filled for testing, with deployment planned from the beginning of 2026.
The integration of all digital end devices for teachers with Windows operating systems into the state-wide management architecture will be completed at the start of the new school year. The project "Learning World Saxony-Anhalt" will also continue, strengthening future-relevant competencies through innovative learning formats and digital media use.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) remains a central topic in education, with various projects and cooperations set to provide important impulses for a responsible integration of AI into everyday school life. A data protection-compliant AI chatbot called "Telli" will be introduced throughout the school year, providing context-based answers based on uploaded teaching materials.
A multi-stage training program for AI coaches will enable teachers to convey technical, social, and ethical aspects of AI in a practical manner. AI will also be systematically integrated into the Computer Science Curriculum from grade 5, and also in grades 9 and 10 in the next school year.
On-site, tailored training is offered on topics such as digital end devices, artificial intelligence, or social media. The State School Authority is nearing completion of processing all pending cases related to the payment of extended hours that teachers performed in the school year 2023/2024.
In a bid to strengthen staffing, a new portal for digitally submitting constructive ideas and suggestions for improving school life and strengthening staffing has been launched. The new School Act of the State of Saxony-Anhalt was published on July 14, 2025.
For those interested in legal topics such as data protection and copyright, training courses are available. It's important to note that for the exact defined roles and responsibilities specific to Saxony-Anhalt's new category of pedagogical teaching assistants effective in 2025/2026, official documents or announcements from Saxony-Anhalt's Ministry of Education or relevant local authorities would be needed.
Recently, 6,612 children and youth from Ukraine were taught in Saxony-Anhalt's schools. The integration of 67 more schools into the Start Chance program is also planned for the school year 2025/2026. Additionally, Digital Assistance, a free offer for schools in digital lesson development, will be available nationwide for the school year 2025/2026.
A total of 18,947 children are starting school for the first time, with the new school year beginning on August 11, 2025, for 213,829 students in Saxony-Anhalt. The first 152 positions for the FelloFish tool will be filled, with deployment planned from the beginning of 2026. The State School Authority is nearing completion of processing all pending cases related to the payment of extended hours that teachers performed in the school year 2023/2024. There are currently 13,934 teaching staff at the state's general public schools, with 2,439 of these being lateral entry teachers.
In conclusion, Saxony-Anhalt is gearing up for an innovative and exciting new school year, with a focus on AI integration, staff development, and digital learning tools. The region continues to address the challenges of teacher demand and refugee integration, and is committed to improving staffing and creating a supportive learning environment for all students.
- To support the educational growth of students and personal development of teachers, the introduction of the FelloFish tool and the "FelloFish" training for teachers is scheduled for the 2025/2026 school year.
- Aiming for career development and job search, teachers can enhance their skills through various training programs focused on digital devices, artificial intelligence, and legal topics.
- With the emergence of new categories like pedagogical teaching assistants and support for lateral entry teachers, job opportunities in education and self-development are expected to increase in Saxony-Anhalt.
