Basic education for adults: Minister Hoffmann hands over funding decision in Frankfurt (Oder)

About one in eight adults in Germany has major difficulties with reading and writing. The state of Brandenburg is therefore supporting learning and counselling services for adults with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF+). On 7 May 2026, Education Minister Gordon Hoffmann handed over a grant notification for the regional basic education centre in Frankfurt (Oder) and for adult literacy and basic education courses to Lord Mayor Dr Axel Strasser.

Education Minister Gordon Hoffmann: "Good reading, writing and arithmetic skills – these are prerequisites for professional and social participation. That's why we want to support adults who want to improve their language skills. The Ministry of Education supports a total of 15 regional basic education centres, making it the federal state with the most basic education centres. I would like to thank the city of Frankfurt (Oder) for its commitment to literacy for all adults."

Mayor Dr Axel Strasser: "We can see that our basic education centre is doing important work. Its literacy and basic education programmes help native speakers and people with a migration background to cope better in their lives and workplaces and significantly improve their prospects. We help people to use computers, mobile phones and deal with official mail and make an important contribution to destigmatisation."

Around twelve percent of all 16 to 64-year-olds in Germany have considerable problems reading and writing correctly. They feel this when they directly experience disadvantages in their professional and social participation. In 2006, the state of Brandenburg began funding state-wide literacy and basic education courses from ESF funds. In the current ESF funding period (2026-2028), funding totalling twelve million euros has been approved. Over this period, the independent city of Frankfurt (Oder) will receive around 384,000 euros in funding for its basic education centre and around 90,000 euros for adult literacy and basic education courses.