The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) has spoken out in favor of regular operation at schools after the summer holidays and face-to-face studies at universities in the winter semester. The needs of children and adolescents must be given top priority, precisely because in the past they would have had to forego many freedoms and opportunities for personal development, according to a resolution on Friday. In view of the advanced vaccination rate and secure medical care, presence at the universities must also become the norm again, taking into account the respective conditions and circumstances on site.
"The prerequisites for face-to-face teaching are good and completely different from a year ago," emphasized the KMK President and Brandenburg Education Minister Britta Ernst (SPD). "The school staff has received vaccination offers, tests and hygiene concepts are in place and have been tried and tested." At the same time, children and young people made a significant contribution to protecting adults in the past school year. “Now it is important that as many adults as possible show solidarity and get vaccinated. So that the pupils can have a normal everyday school life. "
School closings are only "to be considered as the very last possibility", warned the coordinator of the SPD-led states, Hamburg's school senator Ties Rabe (SPD).
The coordinator of the Union-led countries, Hesse's Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs, Alexander Lorz (CDU), said: "With successfully established self-tests and rapid tests, vaccinated teachers and vaccinations for children from 12 years of age, we have made decisive progress towards safe school operations."
Studying includes learning and discussing face-to-face
"After three digital semesters, we have to bring our students back to the universities and guarantee as much study normality as possible," said the KMK Vice President, Schleswig-Holstein's Minister of Science Karin Prien (CDU). For most students, studying is a formative phase in life that is accompanied by friendships and personal development. "This inevitably includes learning, discussing and researching in person."
The Association of Education and Upbringing (VBE) denied that all countries had prepared the start of school comprehensively. There is neither a two-week safety phase after the summer holidays with at least two tests per week and mask and distance requirements. “Adequate and timely efforts have been made on the subject of air filters and systems. Not to mention the nationwide promised immediate measures for digitization, ”said chairman Udo Beckmann. "To continue to rely on the principle of hope is not enough."