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Berlin (dpa) - Fears of the future, financial worries or internet problems: Students in Germany are struggling with many problems because of the corona pandemic.
How big the difficulties are became clear on Tuesday in an online conversation between students and Chancellor Angel Merkel (CDU).
Merkel promised to take care - but also admitted that not everything could be solved quickly.
Many of the students named limited or unusual practical experience as one of the particularly pressing problems due to the pandemic.
Laboratories, art workshops and cultural institutions remained closed because of the pandemic;
many companies are currently not hiring interns.
This is especially a problem for those for whom practical work or an internship is a prerequisite for successfully completing their studies.
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The University Rectors' Conference had selected the students for the series “The Chancellor in Conversation”.
Merkel promised to take care of the worries, among other things, in an interview with Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU).
"You don't have an infinite amount of time in your life," said Merkel, "you have made plans, you want to finish and now have to create certain sections under completely new conditions."
Some students emphasized that they feel badly prepared for the world of work and also fear that they will not be able to assert themselves on the free market against former graduates.
For many, the duration of study is extended, which also entails an additional financial burden.
Many students lost their part-time jobs during the crisis.
Bridging aid came too late, said one student.
From the point of view of many students, many applications were rejected for incomprehensible reasons.
Merkel emphasized that the reality of life is so diverse that it is not always easy to make guidelines for it.
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Given the financial bottlenecks, one student also said that the semester fee to be paid at many universities is very high.
In many cases, this also applies to a ticket for local public transport and a cafeteria discount, which currently cannot be used at all.
Many prospective academics fear that they will have to study longer due to the corona-related restrictions - also because exams had to be postponed.
Online exams are not allowed everywhere;
there are legal problems.
In general, there is still an urgent need for action with digitization.
Some students - especially in rural areas - reported Internet problems at home.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201215-99-701741 / 2
Chancellor in conversation