Mülheim 2026: Democratic Education in Schools and Greater Youth Participation

Democratic Education in Schools: Practical Experience as a Key

Mülheim an der Ruhr made a landmark decision in April 2026: Students in grades 8 and 9 are now to attend public meetings of local committees as part of the school curriculum in the subject Politics and Economics. The goal is to anchor democratic education in a practical way and to introduce young people to political processes at an early age.

The idea behind this measure is clear: Local politics is more tangible for young people as it deals with issues such as school routes, playgrounds, or traffic. In addition, many of these students are about to reach voting age – particularly for local and European elections. The visit to council, district committee or specialist committee meetings is promoted as a learning environment for democratic procedures.

The administration is tasked with examining the costs of such visits, for example transportation costs, and, if necessary, having them covered by the school authority. In addition, it is the task of the district mayors to actively invite students to these meetings. A step that will not only affect the school but also politics itself. The decision will be submitted to the Düsseldorf Regional Government and the NRW Ministry of Education and Culture in order to set impulses at the state level.

Youth Participation: From Theory to Practice

In addition to democratic education in schools, Mülheim is also relying on participatory formats. The Youth District Forum is an established participation format that takes place regularly in all three city districts. In these forums, young people can discuss topics such as inner-city development, public transport, school equipment, safety or digital infrastructure and directly engage with politics and the administration.

In April 2026, the Youth District Forum was once again a central forum for discussion. Students from Broich Secondary School, Broich Gymnasium and Saarn Comprehensive School participated in the discussion. Recurring topics were digital school equipment, WLAN structures, green spaces and police presence. The events serve not only to involve young people but also to inform and orient them. The issues raised flow into the planning of the Children and Youth Support Plan.

At the same time, it is becoming clear that the demand for transparency and traceability of the topics raised is growing. Young people are requesting more feedback – an aspect that must be taken into account in the future development of the forum. The responsibility for processing lies with a joint effort of youth organizations, politics and the administration. In order to strengthen participation opportunities, concrete starting points for projects and measures are required.

Expansion of School Education: Enrollments, Capacities and Digital Infrastructure

The school education situation in Mülheim remains exciting. For the school year 2026/2027, there are significantly more applications than capacities. Thus, a total of around 100 students must be rejected at secondary schools and secondary modern schools. The Düsseldorf Regional Government has approved the formation of additional classes at certain schools – a necessity to keep pace with the increase in student numbers.

The city also plans to expand the OGS (Open After-School Care) for children in grades 3 and 4. Here, the legal right to care is a central issue. The city is examining how care places can be secured, especially against the background of possible losses when transitioning to grade 4. At the same time, the expansion of digital infrastructure in schools is being advanced. Stable WLAN structures and modern learning spaces are a fixed part of educational policy.

Air Filters and Night Storage Heaters: Background Questions on School Equipment

Another focus is school equipment. The installation of 650 air filter units at 26 schools has significantly improved air quality. However, the AfD faction in Mülheim has critically asked questions: How are the filters used? Are they still in operation? What are the maintenance costs?

The night storage heaters in 15 further schools remain a topic. The AfD asked about outages, replacement plans and costs. Here it becomes clear that school equipment is not only defined by visible measures such as digital infrastructure or comprehensive schools, but also by invisible structures such as heating and ventilation.

Conclusion: Mülheim as a Model City for Democratic Education and Youth Participation?

Mülheim an der Ruhr is setting impulses in educational policy that go beyond pure teaching content. With the inclusion of young people in local committees and the Youth District Forum, democracy is not only being taught but also actively lived. At the same time, it becomes clear that the school situation must be carefully planned in the face of increasing enrollments and structural challenges.

The coming years will show whether these measures will contribute to sustainably strengthening the political interest of young people – and whether Mülheim can serve as a model city for democratic education and participation.