Start of the new school year in Chemnitz: City invests around 33 million euros in school building construction and equipment

The main focus of the information presented at the regular press conference in the town hall before the start of the new 2013/2014 school year, with a review and outlook on the status of preparations for the new school year, is on building investments and construction projects: In 2013, the administration has planned funding totalling almost €33 million in the city's financial budget for construction investments and equipment at schools and school facilities in Chemnitz, including a good €8 million in funding from the Free State.

The focus of school construction projects in 2013/14 remains the large-scale project to build a new special educational needs centre

In the 2013/14 school year, Chemnitz's school construction projects will continue to focus on the new construction of the Chemnitz Special Education Centre for the Physically Disabled and the construction of a residential facility and all-day care for children and young people with physical and multiple disabilities at the Heinrich-Schütz-Straße site. The city is investing around 34.35 million euros in the new building, with the Free State supporting the project with almost 15 million euros in funding.

Construction was approved by the city council in June 2012 and the ground-breaking ceremony in August 2012 marked the start of construction. Since then, the explosive ordnance survey and the installation of the driven piles have been completed and the structural work and drainage work has begun. The building should be finished by the end of 2014. Then 230 pupils with physical disabilities will be able to enjoy new barrier-free facilities for learning, playing and living totalling 13,650 m². The new school site will house the school for the physically disabled, a two-court sports hall with outdoor facilities, a residential home, all-day care for children and young people with physical and multiple disabilities as well as therapy rooms with a therapy pool and gymnastics room.

The construction measures for the partial renovation of the school and sports hall building of the Anton Semyonovich Makarenko primary school are due to be completed in 2013 : The work included draining, roof and façade renovation and partial interior work, including fire safety measures. A total of almost 3.5 million euros was invested, of which a good 1.8 million was subsidised (ERDF and state funds).

The extensive reconstruction measures at the Georgius Agricola Grammar School will also be completed in 2013, resulting in a total investment of around 4.5 million euros, of which a good 3.10 million euros is subsidised (ERDF and state funds). So far, the sports hall section has been renovated, a lift for barrier-free access to the school and the second structural escape route have been built. The extensive interior work in the school building and the design of the outdoor area will be completed by the end of the year.

The construction work on the two-court sports hall, including the renovation of the historic "Jahnbaude" part of the Johannes Kepler Gymnasiumbuilding, which began in spring 2012, will also be completed this year , as willthe work on the artificial turf sports pitch and the outdoor facilities. A total of a good 4.6 million euros will be invested here, of which a good 2.8 million euros will be subsidised.

At the Dr. Wilhelm André Gymnasium, the construction of a new two-court sports hall with outdoor facilities and outdoor sports facilities as well as the renovation of the gymnastics hall in the old building of the school building on the Kaßberg are on the agenda: following the planned construction decision in November 2013, almost 4 million euros will be invested in the building project, of which almost 2 million euros will be subsidised.

The sports school centre, sports middle school, the new secondary school building and the three-court sports hall were successfully completed and handed over to pupils and teachers at the start of the 2012/13 school year: a total of 15.43 million euros was invested in this major city project, including around 6.25 million euros in subsidies (ERDF and state funds). One of the city's major refurbishment projects that has already been completed in the school sector is the Vocational School Centre for Technology I - Industrial School: the refurbishment of the main and ancillary buildings as well as the cafeteria, including the barrier-free expansion of the school site, continued in the second construction phase and was completed in 2013. The seating for the auditorium will be completed by the end of 2013. 7 million euros were invested, of which around 3.8 million euros were subsidised (ERDF and state funds).

The city's other major construction measures in the school sector include the following construction measures, most of which were completed during the 2013 summer holidays:

Chemnitz school model at the new location at Stollberger Straße 25: The school building at Stollberger Straße 25 with an extension for the Chemnitz school model was renovated at the new location and school operations for the secondary school section began after the 2013 winter holidays. Following the completion of all construction work, primary school pupils have also been taught at the new location 25 since June 2013. The outdoor facilities will be completed by the end of September. The city of Chemnitz has invested a total of 6.47 million euros in this project.

Reichenbrand primary and secondary school: Renovation work was carried out on the school building, including the interior, roof and façade. The final work is currently being carried out (conversion of the former caretaker's flat for school purposes). The completion of all renovation measures is planned for October 2013. The seating in the assembly hall will be installed by the end of the year. A total of 1.425 million euros has been invested by the city.

Kirchner primary school in the Wittgensdorf district: The construction work to realise the fire protection measures was completed during the summer holidays. 310,000 euros were invested by the city of Chemnitz.

Rosa-Luxemburg-Grundschule am Brühl: The sanitary facilities will be renovated and fire protection measures implemented here by the end of the year. A total of almost 600,000 euros will be invested by the city.

Special school building programme: construction measures at 21 Chemnitz schools for around €40.0 million

In 2013/14, the city of Chemnitz is continuing its ambitious special school building programme with a total volume of around €40 million (excluding equipment) and is receiving funding from the state totalling around €16.0 million.

Untere Luisenschule - secondary school: fire protection measures and construction of a second structural escape route - €600 thousand will be invested, of which just under €240 thousand is subsidised.

Obere Luisenschule - primary school: fire protection measures and construction of a second structural escape route - 826 thousand euros will be invested, of which just under 318 thousand euros are subsidies.

Ebersdorf primary school: Measures for structural fire protection, energy-efficient refurbishment and façade renovation - 350,000 euros will be invested, of which just under 140,000 euros are subsidies.

Josephinenschule - secondary school: fire protection measures, construction of a second structural escape route as well as media supply and disposal - 800,000 euros will be invested, of which around 315,000 euros are subsidies.

Gebrüder-Grimm-Grundschule: Roof and façade renovation and construction of a second structural escape route - 2.8 million euros will be invested, of which just under 1.12 million is subsidised.

Valentina Tereschkowa Primary School: Roof and façade refurbishment and construction of a second structural escape route including adaptations to the building services systems - around 2.6 million euros will be invested, of which 1.04 million is subsidised.

Vocational School Centre for Economics II: Fire protection measures and construction of a second structural escape route - 376 thousand euros will be invested, of which a good 150 thousand euros are subsidies.

Heinrich Heine Primary School: Façade renovation, replacement of windows and construction of barrier-free access (lift) to the school building as well as general renovation of the sports hall - 2.5 million euros will be invested, of which just under 1 million euros will be subsidised.

Jan Amos Comenius Primary School: Partial dismantling and partial demolition of a wing of the building to reduce floor space capacity, partial refurbishment of the roof, façade, toilets and building services - a good 3 million euros will be invested, of which a good 1.2 million is subsidised.

Reichenbrand primary and secondary school: Drying out, roof and façade renovation as well as interior work in parts of the school building and sports hall - 2.9 million euros will be invested, of which just under 1.6 million euros is subsidised.

Schönau Primary School and Schönau/Siegmar Secondary School: Extension building to increase floor space and connecting structure to the existing school building, including renovation work in the school building - a good 2.17 million euros will be invested, of which around 870 thousand euros is subsidised.

Sonnenberg primary school: roof and façade refurbishment and drainage of the school building and exterior and interior refurbishment of the sports hall - around EUR 2.74 million will be invested, of which around EUR 1 million is subsidised.

Georg-Weerth-Oberschule: Roof and façade renovation, renovation of the toilets and heating system, fire protection measures, renovation of the lightning protection system and electrical installation work in the school building - around 2.5 million euros will be invested, of which just under 1 million is subsidised.

Baumgartenschule Grüna - primary school: roof and façade renovation, partial interior renovation (toilets) and barrier-free expansion (lift) - a good 2.2 million euros will be invested, of which around 882 thousand euros are subsidies.

Altendorf primary and secondary school: interior refurbishment, renewal of building services and fire protection measures including external staircase - around 1.25 million euros will be invested, of which just under 500 thousand euros is subsidised.

Ludwig-Richter primary school: Complete refurbishment including 2nd structural escape route - a good 2.9 million euros will be invested, of which around 1.16 million euros are subsidies.

Future primary school site in Rabenstein: General refurbishment of the school building and sports hall including outdoor facilities - a good 4.63 million euros will be invested, of which 1.76 million euros is subsidised.

"Johann-Heinrich-Pestalozzi" learning support centre: Partial renovation (roof and façade renovation, drainage, work on fire protection, heating, ventilation, plumbing, electricity) - just under 2 million euros will be invested, of which around 900 thousand euros are subsidies.

Gablenz primary school sports hall: renovation of the roof and façade as well as the changing rooms and sanitary facilities - 700,000 euros will be invested, of which around 280,000 euros will be subsidised.

Pablo Neruda primary school sports hall: Roof and façade refurbishment as well as changing rooms and sanitary facilities - 700,000 euros will be invested, of which 280,000 euros are subsidies.

Einsiedel primary school: façade renovation and fire protection measures, second structural escape route - around 1.5 million euros will be invested, of which just under 580 thousand euros are subsidies.

Construction work has already begun at four schools (J.-A.-Comenius-GS, Ludwig-Richter-GS (relocation property at Philippstraße 20), Obere Luisengrundschule (temporary 2nd structural escape route) and GS/MS Schönau (container installation)). Depending on the progress of approval and planning, the next schools will follow in September.

School network in Chemnitz

The city is responsible for 39 primary schools, twelve secondary schools (formerly: middle schools), seven grammar schools, one community school (the Chemnitz school model), seven vocational school centres, ten special schools and two second-chance schools (one evening secondary school and one evening grammar school) in the 14 school districts in Chemnitz. The facilities run by the local authority also include the boarding school at the sports high school, the home for children and young people with physical and multiple disabilities and the all-day care centre at the Chemnitzer SonderpäThe educational media centre in Augsburger Straße and the school planetarium at the Albert Schweitzer Secondary School also belong to the local authority.

Independent schools in Chemnitz are run by seven independent providers of general education schools and 20 providers of vocational schools.

In the 2013/2014 school year, 6,117 girls and boys studied at the city's primary schools, 4,254 at secondary schools, 4,560 at grammar schools, 1,526 at special schools and 7,892 at vocational schools in Chemnitz.