- Over 150 completed courses at the secondary school
Over 150 young women and men have caught up with their school leaving certificate at adult education centers this year. Alone in Schwerin, 46 certificates of vocational or intermediate secondary education were awarded recently, as the city announced. In Rostock, 17 people achieved vocational maturity and 37 intermediate secondary education. In the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, 19 successfully passed the central exams for intermediate secondary education, in Vorpommern-Greifswald 24, and in Nordwestmecklenburg 12, as a survey by the German Press Agency revealed.
Schwerin's mayor Rico Badenschier (SPD) handed out the certificates and emphasized the importance of the second educational pathway. "Our adult education center stands for the second chance," he said. "The school leaving certificates open doors to a new, self-determined phase of life, to economic and personal independence. This creates more educational justice and participation." Vocational maturity is required to start vocational training. With intermediate secondary education, the range of learnable professions expands significantly.
Courses at the adult education center in the Rostock district have a special feature: they are offered to inmates of the justice facility in Bützow as part of resocialization. This year, eight inmates achieved vocational maturity and five intermediate secondary education, as the district announced. There are also courses in the Neustrelitz prison, where many young inmates are housed. Last year, three inmates passed the exams for intermediate secondary education.
The demand for courses at adult education centers is growing, especially among immigrants. "Increasingly, students from refugee families are leaving regular school without a school leaving certificate," it was reported from the adult education center in Rostock. In large cities, demand is greater than in rural areas. For example, two courses are currently being offered in Neubrandenburg.
"In terms of demand, a third course could also come about, but the corresponding teaching staff is lacking," it was said. In more rural areas, demand is lower. "So in Waren, no course could be offered in the last two school years because the minimum number of participants was not reached. Also at the location in Demmin, participants are lacking to start a new course in the 2024/25 school year."
In Schwerin, there were over 20 percent more successful graduates this year than in 2023, as the director of the adult education center, Susanne Kapellusch, said. The number of registrations for the coming school year is already high again. There are only a few places left in the area of vocational maturity and for the evening class of intermediate secondary education.
Women make up a significant portion of the individuals who have obtained their school leaving certificates at adult education centers this year. According to the city of Schwerin, more than half of the 46 certificates awarded in vocational or intermediate secondary education were given to women.
Recognizing the importance of adult education for women, Schwerin's mayor, Rico Badenschier, highlighted that the second educational pathway provides opportunities for a self-determined life and economic independence, contributing to educational justice and participation for all.
