Big start to construction in Greifswald: New school center for 700 children!

Big start to construction in Greifswald: New school center for 700 children!

An important project is being realized in Greifswald: the groundbreaking ceremony for the new inclusive school center “Am Ellernholzteich” took place on June 16, 2025. This educational institution is scheduled to open its doors to the first students by the 2028/2029 school year. The official start of construction was announced for Monday, but earth movements near Osnabrücker Strasse began a few weeks ago. The construction site faces challenges: Due to the wet subsoil, more than 330 piles have to be driven into the ground to ensure stability.

The inclusive school center will house a three-class primary school and a up to three-class regional school with an orientation level. In view of the increasing number of students and insufficient capacity at existing schools, the city of Greifswald is taking this step to address the needs of the population. Mayor Dr. Stefan Fassbinder emphasizes the urgency for expansion. Originally only a primary school with an orientation class and a sports hall was planned, but the concept was adapted due to increasing demand. Those responsible had already examined the Caspar David Friedrich Regional School and the Pestalozzi School as alternative locations, but these options were structurally unfeasible or uncertain in terms of timing.

Financing and construction costs

Painful, but necessary: ​​The current construction costs amount to around 80 million euros, a significant increase compared to the originally calculated 45 million euros. However, the city of Greifswald will receive almost 30 million euros to support the project through the state's urban development funding. With this medium-term financial support, the city's budget burden could be reduced by around 9.5 million euros.

The total costs for the new primary school building are around 29 million euros, divided into 13.8 million euros for the primary school, 8.3 million euros for the after-school care center and 6.7 million euros for the sports hall. The regional school is also not without its own costs: these amount to around 18 million euros, with a funding rate of up to 75 percent being promised. Not to be forgotten are the preparatory measures, which already cost 0.8 million euros in 2019 and 1.9 million euros in 2020.

The path to inclusion

The new school center not only plans modern forms of teaching, but also takes school inclusion seriously. A study on the topic of inclusion in German schools has shown that the requirements for inclusion are implemented very differently in different federal states, including Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Inclusion means that learners with and without disabilities are taught together, which should also be taken into account in the new school center. It's not just about structural conditions, but also about the teaching methods that need to be adapted to suit all students.

Because there are still considerable difficulties with inclusion in many places, Greifswald and its new school center are well on the way to successfully implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The transformation towards inclusive mainstream schools is an important common goal that affects society as a whole.

With the construction of the “Am Ellernholzteich” school center, Greifswald will not only increase the number of students, but also take a step towards the future and social participation.

Further information will be available in the city center for anyone interested, and the project presentation is announced for November.

More information about the details of the project can be found in the article by NDR as well as in the official announcement of the City of Greifswald. Further information about school integration can be found here German school portal.