Cologne is expanding: New school places for 120 children by 2027!

Cologne is expanding: New school places for 120 children by 2027!

Something is happening in Cologne-Roggendorf/Thenhoven! Construction of the expansion of the Gutnickstrasse Catholic Elementary School has officially begun. By 2027 there will be 120 additional school places here. This measure is part of a larger plan to address the ongoing shortage of school places in the city. Already during the first construction phase, new functional rooms, an auditorium and improved opportunities for sporting activities will be created. Civil engineering work is currently in full swing and building construction will begin soon. The new building is accessible via both Fortuinweg and Gutnickstrasse and uses the existing school grounds together with the area of ​​the former Gutnickstrasse daycare center, as [property-magazine.de](https://www.property-magazine.de/koeln-startet- Extension-der-kgs-gutnickstrasse-144767.html) reports.

The existing gymnasium will remain untouched, while an additional multifunctional auditorium area will be created, which will further enhance the school. This is a welcome solution because the container building on Fortuinweg, which will be built in 2024, serves as a temporary solution to accommodate additional classes until the new premises are completed. This is how the space problem is addressed step by step.

School Construction Task Force creates solutions

In order to improve the school place situation in Cologne more effectively, the “School Construction Task Force” was launched by Mayor Henriette Reker in May 2022. Led by the representatives for planning and construction and education, the task force aims to create urgently needed school places in the short term. As stadt-koeln.de reports, around 1,200 school places have been created in entry-level classes since it was founded, and the goal is to provide a total of over 9,200 new school places by 2030.

So far, the task force has focused on high school locations in order to be able to provide additional rooms there for the 2023/24 school year. This is reflected in the conversion of parking spaces and the implementation of expansions at several schools. At the same time, the focus is also on primary schools in order to reduce backlogs and expand capacities. New rooms have already been put into operation at some primary schools, including Fortuinweg and Schulstraße 23 in Porz Eil.

A look at the entire school offering

Despite the encouraging progress, the challenge remains great. As ksta.de notes, the number of student registrations at secondary schools remained high, which leads to school place shortages. Last year, 705 fourth graders had to switch to comprehensive schools because their preferred schools could not offer a place. Measures have already been taken for 2023 to provide containers for additional rooms at four high schools and to initiate the creation of three new comprehensive schools and two high schools, which will also create 570 new school places.

For the city of Cologne, it is crucial that not only short-term solutions are found, but also that more stable structures are built in the long term. The plans to build a total of 40 new schools by 2030 show that those responsible have a good hand in combating the shortage of school places in the long term. We are excited to see how the situation develops and are pleased about the progress in school construction policy!