SCHWERIN. The situation in daycare centers and schools continues to worry the GEW in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It called on the red-red state government to implement the goals set out in the coalition agreement with more commitment, as it said in a press conference – also with a view to refugee children.
Refugee children (like these young Syrians) are often initially educated in “welcome classes” or so-called preparatory classes – if at all. Photo: Shutterstock
Focus on daycare centers: Ulrike von Malottki, deputy GEW state chairwoman, was concerned about the high level of sick leave among educators. This has a direct impact on the situation of children and parents in daycare centers. “Restricted closing times, splitting up groups, the resulting lack of bonding, less support – the educational consequences are also sometimes devastating,” said the state chairwoman. “What we need now is a minimum staffing ratio that is uniformly regulated by law across the country and is equipped in such a way that all the tasks provided for in the Child Daycare Support Act – and thus also the latest plans of the Minister of Education – are supported by sufficient staff. This has not been the case so far.”
Focus on schools: GEW state chairman Nico Leschinski first focused on the situation of refugee children in the country. He criticised the fact that many refugees are still being taught in so-called preparatory classes. These pupils are being severely disadvantaged. “They only receive a limited range of lessons, the majority of their teachers do not even have a teaching qualification and their transition to regular, shared lessons does not only depend on their acquired German skills, but also on the spatial and material resources of the respective school,” he said. “Their right to education is thus being curtailed. This cannot continue!”
Some students have already been in a preparatory class for two years. Leschinski: “Although we generally view preparatory classes critically, we showed understanding for the exceptional situation in 2022. But after more than two years, the state must finally solve this problem and give all school-age children access to regular education! We expect the state to update the educational concept for this and to make the transition to joint instruction binding. The goal should be to enable students to obtain all educational qualifications.”
According to the GEW, preparatory classes of this size should no longer exist by the end of this school year at the latest. “The increase in migration due to flight in 2015/16 and 2022 has shown once again that our school system is not resilient enough to have the right answers to such events. We urgently need to work on this. The state should therefore offer more advanced training in the subject of German as a second language and also promote this in teacher training courses.”
Education Minister: Schools are full! State delegates refugee children to tutoring institute
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