Berlin (dpa) – The lockdown in Germany, which applies until January 10, will probably be extended, and according to the German Teachers’ Association, schools will not continue to operate normally at first.
Association president Heinz-Peter Meidinger said at ntv that it was clear to everyone that this would not be possible in January after the holidays. “The infection situation will not allow that.” That is why one still has to prepare for distance learning or, at best, alternating operations.
Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Education, Susanne Eisenmann, on the other hand, reiterated her demand that kindergartens and elementary schools should definitely be reopened from January 11th. This decision should be made by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the Prime Minister, the CDU politician demanded in the “Bild” newspaper.
“Even if the lockdown is extended beyond January 10th, daycare centers and elementary schools should reopen for face-to-face classes. In these age groups, it is essential that children go to daycare centers and learn in schools.”
A few days earlier, Eisenmann had campaigned for daycare centers and primary schools to be reopened “regardless of the incidence figures”. SPD leader Saskia Esken described this statement as “downright irresponsible” in an interview with the Funke media group.
Merkel and the country leaders will discuss next Tuesday how to proceed in the pandemic after the lockdown, which will initially run until January 10th. There are more and more indications that the measures will be extended in view of the persistently high corona numbers. The education ministers of the federal states want to coordinate the school issue one day before the chancellor’s conversation with the prime minister.
However, individual countries may also announce their plans in advance – education is a country matter. On Tuesday, for example, Hamburg extended the obligation to attend schools, which had already been suspended from January 5 to 10, by one week. The Senate also did not rule out the possibility that there would be no regular classroom teaching in the last two weeks of January.
Eisenmann’s colleague, Yvonne Gebauer, the school minister of the most populous federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, also spoke out in favor of as many lessons as possible in schools. The FDP politician referred in the “Rheinische Post” to the tiered model applicable in her country. She very much hope that “the number of infections will decrease significantly and enable schools to run on the basis of the tiered model and with as much classroom teaching as possible after January 10, 2021.”
Berlin’s Senator for Education Sandra Scheeres (SPD) said: “I would like the pupils, especially in the primary level and in the graduation-relevant years, to be able to switch back to face-to-face teaching as quickly as possible.” At the moment, however, she is assuming that learning from home in Berlin will have to be extended by a week.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said in Berlin that the question of what happens to schools and daycare centers affects millions of people, and it is understandable that this is being discussed. “And at the same time, I am in any doubt in favor of it, rather a week too long now than a week too little,” he added, referring to restrictions and closings. SPD health expert Karl Lauterbach had also spoken out against a return to normal school operations after January 10th.
The head of the education union GEW, Marlies Tepe, called for clarification quickly. “Day care centers, schools and universities need time to prepare,” she told the “Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung”. However, it should not be ignored “that no distance can be kept in the classrooms and on the schoolyards”. Tepe demands: “In the current situation, however, only alternating lessons in small groups can be combined with health protection, which is what we are calling for, as is the Robert Koch Institute.”
Teachers’ Association President Meidinger spoke out in favor of postponing final exams if necessary because of the restrictions. “You have to see how you can compensate for this disadvantage. We have some federal states that have already postponed their final exam dates.” It must be considered whether they should be postponed again and what should be done to get the students fit for the exams.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201230-99-853729 / 3
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