Due to a high level of sick leave, numerous schools in Brandenburg have significantly reduced their classes. As of Friday, 25 schools had limited face-to-face teaching, as announced by the Ministry of Education in Potsdam. Reasons are the high number of respiratory diseases and corona infections.

Stage 3 of a step-by-step plan introduced in January to deal with increased absenteeism among teachers and because of the corona pandemic is taking effect in these 25 schools. Lessons should then be focused on key areas. The "Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung" had previously reported. There are around 920 schools in Brandenburg.

The last sick leave was 12.3 percent (as of November 21, 2022) and, according to the ministry, was 0.1 percentage points higher than at the same time last year. The number is therefore also higher than the level at the peak of the corona pandemic at the beginning of 2022: As of January 17th, 2022, the sick leave rate was 10.6 percent in public schools.

The school districts of Brandenburg an der Havel, Neuruppin, Frankfurt (Oder) and Cottbus were affected by the restricted teaching, most of them elementary schools.