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Education Minister Eisenmann does not believe in distance learning, especially for younger children. The CDU politician insists that schools reopen soon in the new year. Regardless of the number of infections. A reaction from the state government followed via Twitter.
After January 10, elementary schools and nurseries could reopen. Baden-Württemberg Education Minister Susanne Eisenmann (CDU) wants to campaign for this. Many schoolchildren have been on Christmas break since mid-December, earlier than usual. Due to the increasing number of corona infections, several educational institutions in the country were closed prematurely. Previously, there were already criticisms of the Ministry of Culture’s non-strategic approach to addressing the infection rate in schools.
Shortly before Christmas, Eisenmann briefed schools on how to proceed. “I am assuming and strongly promoting that we will open kindergartens and elementary schools for attendance again in any event and will also monitor grades 5, 6, and 7 as well as final grades regardless of incidence figures,” Eisenmann said Monday at Stuttgart. Digital lessons are basically not possible, especially with younger children in elementary school.
No postponement or extension of the Christmas holidays
According to Eisenmann, schools provide structure and support to children and adolescents, especially in the difficult situation of the pandemic. She doesn’t believe in extending the Christmas holidays. For example, the German Child Protection Association recently requested this. “Every intervention during the holidays brings new problems, new challenges for the parents and also for the schools,” Eisenmann said. An extension of the vacation is also not compatible with the right to education. Education must also be possible in times of pandemic. “I would consider it a mistake to keep schools, kindergartens and nurseries completely closed for many weeks, like in March and April.”
The state government expresses itself with a little more caution through Twitter
On Monday afternoon, the state government ordered Eisenmann’s remarks in various tweets. According to this, face-to-face teaching is of utmost importance, especially for the youngest. “But even in the school sector, all measures depend on the infection process,” he says. In response to a question about what this actually means, another tweet replied that “you can’t just go back to face-to-face teaching regardless of infection status or incidence rates.”
Mid-year qualifications only from February
The semi-annual reports will also be available later, Eisenmann added. Since there were no classes between December 16-23 and class tests were not written, the dismissal could still take place in February. She sent a corresponding letter to the schools in recent days. The Education Minister also wants to accommodate parents when they enroll in secondary schools, they say. Consequently, registration should be possible digitally or by telephone.
The prime ministers’ meeting on January 5 with Chancellor Merkel decisive
However, he was only able to provide more specific information on how to proceed after the conference with the prime ministers of the federal states and the federal chancellor on January 5. The state government expressed a similar opinion on Twitter, according to which it would take a reliable trend in the coming days to reliably assess the current situation. “Only then will there be a coordinated procedure between the federal states on this issue, that is, at the next Prime Minister’s Conference on January 5, 2021.”
Even before closing, Eisenmann had expressed his confidence in an interview with SWR about reopening after the Christmas holidays. At the same time, it had defended its exchange rate in recent weeks.
“Our basic objective is to offer as much face-to-face teaching as possible. Learning success is greater in face-to-face teaching. Also, we must not forget the social and psychological aspects”
Susanne Eisenmann (CDU), Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport of Baden-Württemberg, speaks during the 130th session of the 16th state parliament of Baden-Württemberg. One of the topics was full-time schools.
dpa Bildfunk
image alliance / dpa | Sebastian Gollnow
By contrast, Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) was skeptical about opening schools in mid-December. “We will see where we are on January 11,” said the head of government. “No action is taken regardless of the number of infections.”
Eisenmann: Treat Locked-Up Schools Differently Than Hardware Stores
Eisenmann, on the other hand, demanded that education and care finally have a special place in the debate over confinement. “It was very difficult for me with the ease with which it was said in the discussion: then we will just close the schools,” said the CDU politician. “It is important that we treat schools differently from hardware stores, with due respect for hardware stores.”
While schools in other federal states are switching to homeschooling due to the harsh closure, in Baden-Württemberg it is mainly called “holiday extension”. The Ministry of Culture is making it too easy for them, says SWR culture editor Susanne Kaufmann.
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School openings despite closure? Strong criticism of the SPD
SPD state president Andreas Stoch harshly criticized Eisenmann’s remarks. So far, incidents “barely decreased” despite the lockdown, Stoch wrote on Twitter. He was “stunned” by the plans of the Minister of Education:
According to Stoch, there are also more options than full opening and full closing of schools. Stoch asks for model steps with alternate lessons and options for additional space, such as gyms and lobbies for younger students. Eisenmann’s statements are radically opposed to any scientific recommendation, Stoch said. The incidences are still too high and the chains of infection cannot be controlled.
Education union sees advantages in classroom teaching
The GEW education union emphasized that teachers wanted as much classroom teaching as possible. “But they would also like to hear the phrase: ‘Highest possible security for 130,000 teachers!'” Said GEW Managing Director Matthias Schneider.
The CDU’s leading candidate for state elections sees most teachers by his side in his fight for more face-to-face teaching. “The allegations that you sometimes hear are deeply unfair and wrong,” he said, referring to the allegations that teachers would prefer to stay home anyway.
“Most of the teachers are engaged and most want to go to school too.”
FDP supports efforts towards classroom teaching
The FDP also supports the effort to provide instruction in the classroom. “Face-to-face lessons cannot be replaced, especially so as not to lose students who do not have the technical possibilities and the necessary presence of their parents at home,” said Hans-Ulrich Rülke, leader of the FDP parliamentary group. Eisenmann’s balance sheet during the Corona period was still poor. “The digitization possibilities of schools are still far behind the requirements, the digital learning platform itself remains a mosaic and schools are not adequately equipped, for example with air filter devices or suitable masks.”
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