Music schools in crisis mode: Who can still afford courses?

Music schools in crisis mode: Who can still afford courses?

A recent judgment of the Federal Social Court has significant consequences for music schools in the Oldenburg district. The decision is the focus of a dispute over the employment of teachers and harbors the potential to raise the costs of music lessons. Many schools now have to deal with the question of whether music lessons will soon only be affordable for wealthy.

At its core, the court is that the court assessed the fee activity of a teacher at a municipal music school as a sham self -employment. This means that many music schools - both municipal and private - will be forced to determine their fee forces. This development could represent a massive burden on the financial resources of the schools and drive up the fees. Many facilities are already under pressure to ensure social participation in music lessons.

music school in the district of Oldenburg is optimistic

The music school of the district of Oldenburg is calm in this Situation. Managing Director Gerson Stiening said that all 38 teachers are already employed and that there is therefore no direct need to change the fee. "I am glad that we were able to hire the teachers, because they have secure perspectives," he added. Stiening points out that it is more advantageous for the employees to have a permanent job, since they can also take care of their pension.

In contrast, the district music school Osnabrück sees an annual cost increase of around 450,000 euros. Stiening states that he assumes that other music schools in the district may have greater difficulties to make a similar change. He sees the fee structure as already high, which means that a further increase is not advantageous.

The challenges for private music schools

Blöchel is optimistic about the negotiations that the Federal Association of Free Music Schools leads. The facility is in contact with the Federal Ministry of Labor and other relevant institutions to find solutions that enable teachers to continue to be considered independent. However, the operator of a music school warns that an existing cultural landscape could be smashed without a solution.

Another urgent problem could arise in 2025. It is unclear whether music lessons will in future be seen as an educational performance or as a leisure activity, which would have an impact on sales tax liability. This lessons are currently exempt from sales tax, but a new annual tax law is still on the coordination in the Bundestag.

The current situation reveals the concern of concern whether music lessons will only be accessible to wealthy in the near future. These developments show how strongly the legal decisions can influence cultural education in the country. For more information, See the current reporting on www.nwzonline.de .