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New rules for the timetables of primary school children (symbolic image)
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Christoph Hardt / Panama Pictures / IMAGO
In the future, first to fourth graders will receive a uniform minimum level of German, math and science lessons across Germany.
The three subjects are said to make up more than half of the lessons at primary schools in Germany.
The 16 state education ministers (KMK) have now decided on corresponding recommendations for primary schools in Berlin.
The politicians were reacting, among other things, to the decline in the performance of primary school children in reading, text comprehension and arithmetic, which had been shown in comparative tests such as the Igloo study and the IQB education trend.
Accordingly, a fifth of fourth graders fail to meet the minimum requirements in German and mathematics.
The KMK has now specifically agreed that at least 94 hours of teaching per week must be taught in primary schools in the first four years;
So on average around 23.5 school hours per week per grade level.
At least 53 hours of the total quota should be mathematics, German and general knowledge.
After a transition period, the new regulation should be implemented by the 2026/27 school year at the latest, said the Rhineland-Palatinate Education Minister and representative of the SPD-governed states in the KMK, Stefanie Hubig (SPD).
According to them, there should not be cuts elsewhere in favor of the three strengthened subjects.
In order to meet the 53 hours, teachers would have to be hired instead if necessary.
Several federal states, including Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria, recently announced that primary school children should receive more lessons in German and mathematics.
The move sparked heated controversy in Bavaria.
In return, cuts should be made in the areas of English, art, music and works.
fok/dpa