Eurocrats' Children Learning Inside Containers Infuriates Lagarde
Frankfurt's Struggle to Accommodate Growing European School
The city of Frankfurt is facing a significant challenge in providing a new school for the children of Eurocrats working there, according to European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde. The European School Frankfurt, currently hosting over 1,600 students, more than double its initial design capacity of 900 students, is on the brink of a crisis due to the lack of a permanent campus.
The European School Frankfurt, part of a network of schools backed by the European Commission, is currently overwhelmed by rising demand for its services. Local politics and interested parties have scuttled various attempts to seal a deal for a new site for the school in recent years.
One possible option for a new site has been suggested by city councillor Sylvia Weber, who points to the Festplatz am Ratsweg in the city's east end as a potential location. However, locals have protested plans for the site, warning it will drive out a popular biannual fair, change the face of the district, and push up rents.
The impasse regarding the European School Frankfurt is considered important not only for the school, EU institutions and agencies in Frankfurt, but for the European Union itself. The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the Anti-Money Laundering Agency, both recent additions to Frankfurt, have added to the pressure on the school.
The European Central Bank President has warned that the school will have to stop enrolling pupils by 2028 if something doesn't change quickly. AMLA Executive Board member Simonas Kreėpšta has expressed high expectations that the city will deliver a new site for the school.
Outsiders who wish to send their children to the European School Frankfurt can pay up to €8,194 a year in fees. The school's sports facilities are expected to move to an adjacent agricultural plot, making way for more containers and temporary classrooms. However, the site currently being discussed for the construction of a new school for the European School Frankfurt is not explicitly stated in the available search results.
Christian Linder, who represents the European Commission on the board of governors of the European Schools, has warned that the impasse threatens more than just classrooms. The European School Frankfurt is expected to continue growing, with student numbers expected to rise to over 2,200 by 2032. The school's future remains uncertain as Frankfurt grapples with finding a solution to accommodate its growing needs.
