Minister, the corona incidence is rising and rising. Are you still ruling out the possibility of schools being closed again in North Rhine-Westphalia?
Pure burger
Political correspondent in North Rhine-Westphalia.
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The state government has said clearly: There will no longer be a nationwide school closure.
Was the closure a mistake?
With today's findings: Yes.
At that time, however, we had no choice.
However, there will no longer be complete closings as ordered by the federal government with North Rhine-Westphalia.
Even in a pandemic, politics must weigh up.
We ministers of education know how much is at stake in education for children and young people.
In retrospect, we should have brought this common position even earlier and more strongly.
Bavaria knows how to present itself as the leader even in the Corona period with hooks. Although Prime Minister Markus Söder appears as the leader of the “Team Caution”, the mask requirement in schools has long been abolished there. Are you bothered by the rabbit-and-hedgehog game?
In general, rabbit-and-hedgehog games are not helpful in politics.
I also wouldn't be sure that the rabbit always wins in the end.
As ministers of culture, we have always looked for positions that unite us.
It shouldn't be about a higher, faster, further.
The central question is: How do we manage to reconcile the right to education with the right to physical integrity?
The mask has proven to be very effective protection even in schools ...
North Rhine-Westphalia was the first federal state to introduce the mask after the summer holidays in 2020 - to great protest. The protest was just as big when I temporarily lifted the obligation to wear as announced. It has been found everywhere: the mask is a good means of protecting yourself and others. But especially for our youngest, wearing a mask is very exhausting and associated with many restrictions. Of course, I want the children and young people to be able to meet face to face. That is also part of the development of your personality. If the infection allows it, it is the intention of the state government to lift the mask requirement also at the seat.
Children and adolescents suffer most from the social effects of Corona. Do you now have a precise overview of the Corona learning gaps?
This is primarily a question for educational research. Much more important to me as a minister than statistical surveys is that we support the schoolchildren quickly and in a targeted manner. That is why we have made extensive material available to our teachers in order to pick up the children and young people exactly where they are. In addition, we have set up a program worth 430 million euros for North Rhine-Westphalia together with the federal government, through which we enable “extra time for learning” and “extra time for exercise” and also provide schools with “extra money” and Support “extra staff”. A look at the final exams in North Rhine-Westphalia shows that the results for 2020 and 2021 are comparable with those of previous years, both for the Abitur and in grade 10. That is surely also becausethat we have made special offers of support for the students around the exams. You know me as a staunch advocate of face-to-face teaching. I have been sharply criticized for this from many quarters. But it is now clear to everyone involved: Face-to-face teaching is the best form of teaching and learning.