Resistance in Bocklemünd: Fight for the Max Ernst Comprehensive School!

Resistance in Bocklemünd: Fight for the Max Ernst Comprehensive School!

Things are simmering in Cologne-Bocklemünd: the planned expansion of the Max Ernst Comprehensive School (MEG) is causing heated discussions and resistance among local residents. A petition change.org expresses the concerns of citizens who view the expansion as unnecessary, costly and environmentally harmful. Above all, the loss of decades-old trees on the school grounds is causing dissatisfaction. These not only create a better microclimate, but also serve as a buffer against noise and exhaust fumes.

The initiators of the petition demand that the old trees not be felled and that a concept to protect the forest be developed instead. From their point of view, the declining number of students also speaks against the conversion. In February 2023, the MEG was not at full capacity; There were free places after the registration process. Despite these arguments, the city of Cologne is planning massive investments, including demolishing and rebuilding parts of the school.

Extensive construction plans

The planned construction work not only includes the demolition of the dilapidated elementary school, but also the no-longer-used gymnasium and the MEG cafeteria building. New infrastructure is to be created, including a gymnasium for the community primary school and a new building with a cafeteria for the MEG, which is intended to increase capacity by 220 students. Container buildings are to be replaced by a permanent extension, with the aim of the interim buildings being completed in 2026. According to plans, the construction work on the comprehensive school should be completed in the second quarter of 2029, but the challenge remains great.

As the City of Cologne reported, private general contractors take on both the construction work and the extensive planning. In times of a shortage of skilled workers and the tense situation in the construction sector, this is a refreshing strategy. By involving private actors, complex awards are intended to be made more efficient, which also allows construction execution to be better monitored.

Investment backlog in the education sector

There is a huge investment backlog in the entire German education system. Current figures show that this will reach a record value of 54.8 billion euros in 2024. The Architecture sheet reports the desolate conditions of many schools with crumbling plaster and leaky windows. More and more children and young people need space, which increases the pressure on school buildings. Although the municipalities have slightly increasing investments, they cannot keep up with the rapidly rising construction prices.

For those responsible, the need for action is obvious. Dr. Fritzi Köhler-Geib from KfW emphasizes that bureaucratic hurdles must be reduced in order to find faster and sustainable solutions. Modular educational buildings that can be built within three months offer a promising approach to solving the problems. These modular buildings are not only flexible but also sustainable as they are recyclable and can be adapted to different needs.

The situation at the Max Ernst Comprehensive School not only raises questions about the development of the educational location, but is also a sign of the serious challenges that Germany still has to overcome in the area of ​​school infrastructure. The coming years will decide whether the measures taken can meet the diverse demands.