Erfurt (dpa / th) – According to several actors, the Thuringian schools are poorly equipped for the Corona winter. Apart from tests and a ventilation recommendation, nothing had happened in the schools, complained about the Thuringian Philologists Association before school started after the autumn break on Monday. In most schools there are no air filters, there are no Plexiglas panes and hand basins are not available in every room. Parents and student representatives also criticized the fact that there was still a lack of digital equipment and concepts for hybrid formats.
Schoolchildren have to prepare for compulsory tests across the country after the autumn break. The reason is that all Thuringian municipalities have been in warning level three of the Thuringian early warning system since Saturday. Students then have to test themselves again twice a week at school or bring proof of vaccination, recovery or test from home. Those who refuse to do this face a fine and have to be taught in separate study groups, the ministry said. There are enough tests for schools. At the end of the week, 770,000 delayed tests had arrived from China and were distributed.
“The start of school after the holidays will be ruined again for our children and families,” said the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the state parliament, Mario Voigt. The state government has learned nothing from 2020 and has not made provisions for winter this summer either. In addition, one would have had to rely on mandatory tests in schools earlier. In warning level two of the Thuringian warning system, only a binding test offer was valid. Those who refused should be taught in separate study groups. According to the state parents’ representative body, this often did not work due to a lack of teachers.
In addition, a mask requirement for primary school students will apply from Monday in all districts and cities – including at the seat. Previously, in level two municipalities, this only applied to secondary and vocational school students, as well as to primary level students without evidence or a test in school. This regulation must be discussed again, at least in a certain case, said the state parents’ representative: “It would make sense if the mask requirement would be dropped in classes with a ventilation device,” said a spokeswoman.
Parents and student representatives also criticized the fact that there is still no digital equipment for possible distance teaching and that there are no concepts for hybrid formats. Many schools have adjusted to face-to-face teaching again and have not created online courses, the state parents’ representative said. After the autumn break, however, more quarantine cases are expected again. One will see again that classes have to be taught partly in distance teaching.
“We complain that there are still no reliable concepts on how to deal flexibly with hybrid teaching across the board,” she said. The classrooms are not equipped in such a way that teachers immediately find a functioning system. In addition, a number of schools are not yet connected to the fast Internet.
From the point of view of the philologists’ association – which speaks as a union for high school teachers – the connection to the Thuringian school cloud does not help either. Pupils could often not follow the lessons from home because of poor internet access or lack of WiFi in the classrooms. Because service equipment was still a long time coming, teachers had made advance payments and procured equipment themselves.
From the perspective of the students, too, there is still a lack of digital devices. Here the schools or the state are obliged to equip every student with a suitable device, said state student spokeswoman Lotta Moraweck to the MDR. “I wouldn’t think it’s right to pass it on to parents, that everyone should get it for themselves.” The lack of media skills of some teachers is also an obstacle – many still prefer blackboard pictures written in chalk.
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