The demand is not new: Last year, the LSR had already called for better rules for hot days. But nothing has changed. Now, according to Feind, we finally need clear rules. Because Lower Saxony allows leeway in this regard: Head teachers can give school days off due to heat if lessons are affected by high temperatures and “other forms of lesson planning do not seem sensible,” according to the Ministry of Education.
Not enough, says the LSR. There needs to be a maximum temperature in classrooms, at which point a day off due to heat becomes a must. In addition, classes in the upper grades will continue – no matter how warm it is. “That needs to change,” said Feind.
New school year: The biggest problem is the lack of teachers
As LSR chairman, Feind represents a good one million students in Lower Saxony. Looking ahead to the new school year, which begins on Monday, he sees the biggest problem as being the lack of teachers. “More teaching staff should be employed, particularly at schools where many students leave without a qualification.”
The provision of lessons has been a controversial issue in Lower Saxony for years. Most recently, this figure was 96.9 percent, which has risen slightly. Depending on the type of school, the figure is higher or lower. At grammar schools, the provision of lessons was almost 100 percent as of August 2023, while at special schools it was only 91.6 percent.
