Thousands of school violation cases to be initiated by NRW by the year 2024
In North Rhine-Westphalia, a growing number of parents are facing fines for taking their children on holiday during school terms, as stated in a circular issued by the Ministry of Education. The regional governments in the state initiated a total of 9034 fines for school attendance violations last year, with more than 1000 of these fines related to holidays.
The regional governments are responsible for gymnasiums, comprehensive schools, real schools, secondary schools, and vocational colleges in cases of school attendance violations. At primary schools and most special and main schools, school authorities of the cities and districts handle such cases, whose numbers are not recorded by the middle authorities.
The regional government in Düsseldorf, for instance, initiated 3719 administrative offense proceedings for school attendance violations last year, a significant increase from 1855 in 2021. The number of holiday-related proceedings in Düsseldorf increased from 189 to 557 since 2021.
Münster also saw a rise in fines for violations of school attendance rules last year, with 2062 fines recorded compared to 1618 the previous year and 1311 in 2022. Specifically, 275 cases were recorded last year in connection with holidays.
In Arnsberg, the number of penalty notices for school attendance violations decreased from 2023 to 2024, with a specific decrease of 90 in holiday-related cases since 2022.
The Cologne regional government reported an increase in penalty proceedings for school attendance violations from 173 in 2021 to 913, but does not differentiate between holiday-related cases.
Those who absent themselves unexcused directly before or after holidays can expect a fine of up to 1000 euros. If there are justified doubts about a student's illness, the school can demand a medical certificate from the parents.
It's worth noting that the arbitrary extension of holidays is "particularly heavily weighted" in cases of school attendance violations and the imposition of fines, according to the regional government in Münster. A spokesperson for the regional government in Düsseldorf explained that a leave of absence during school holidays for cheaper travel is not permitted.
However, based on the current sources, no changes to the rules for extending school holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2025 have been documented. If you need the most precise and up-to-date details, checking official North Rhine-Westphalia education department announcements or government sources could be advisable.
[References] [1] ntv.de [2] dpa [3] (No specific source provided for the information about the Arnsberg regional government) [4] (No specific source provided for the information about the Detmold regional government) [5] (No specific source provided for the information about the Münster regional government)
Community policy in North Rhine-Westphalia now includes strict penalties for parents taking their children on holidays during school terms, following a circular issued by the Ministry of Education. These penalties are not just limited to fines, but also extended to vocational training programs, as unexcused absences before or after holidays can result in fines of up to 1000 euros. This stringent approach towards school attendance is visible in the politics of the region, with a significant rise in fines for violations in Düsseldorf, Münster, and other cities. Education-and-self-development programs, such as vocational training, are critically affected by these attendance issues, posing challenges for both parents and the general-news landscape.
