“CDU proposes earlier compulsory education for certain children in Baden-Württemberg amidst increasing school problems”

The current problems in Baden-Württemberg could probably be solved by making school compulsory earlier. But this plan does not apply to all children.

There are currently discussions about earlier compulsory schooling for certain children in Baden-Württemberg. The call for earlier school enrollment is getting louder because the problems in the schools are constantly increasing. One party is now even demanding a change in the school law in Baden-Württemberg.

Earlier school enrollment in Baden-Württemberg

The CDU has almost decided to demand earlier compulsory education in Baden-Württemberg. Compulsory schooling should therefore begin one year earlier for children with special needs. This emerges from a current position paper by the CDU state board. In a test phase, one could even imagine starting two and a half years before regular school enrolment. One of the biggest hurdles would probably be language problems. That’s why you have to try to bring the children up to the same language level as the rest of the class by the first day of school.

In order to achieve the greatest possible success, one wants to concentrate on the youngest. Early childhood education is about putting language first. According to the CDU, financial resources are needed to implement this requirement by 2026. Education policy in Baden-Württemberg should therefore definitely include early childhood education in its catalog of tasks.

Attract specialists for new tasks

However, the question remains as to where the necessary pedagogical staff should come from. The shortage of skilled workers is already glaring. If the tasks in early childhood education were to increase, this would also mean that more staff would have to be deployed. Here the CDU can imagine a re-entry bonus in the form of a one-off payment for the skilled workers. This would be aimed specifically at people who no longer practice their profession, for example because they are already retired. So far, however, the CDU has not given any information about the amount of the premium.

It is questionable whether it is really the right way to bring people back into the teaching profession from their well-deserved retirement. This is hardly a sustainable solution with a future. At present, the demand for earlier compulsory education only exists in a theoretical paper by the CDU. So it remains to be seen whether this ambitious project can really be implemented.