Icon: enlarge
"In the times of PISA, we always only discuss math and German": Political education has the reputation of not being so important
Photo: izusek / Getty Images
The sentence is only on page 47 of the 647-page report, but it is central: "Political education is not neutral".
This was also highlighted by the representatives of an independent expert commission commissioned by the federal government, who presented the current report on children and young people on Wednesday.
This time the focus of the report, which appears every three to four years, is the promotion of democratic education.
Here, the authors attested that schools in particular had a deficit.
"We are calling for two hours of 'political education' and more participation in schools per week," said the chairman of the reporting commission, Christian Palentien, professor of education at the University of Bremen.
The reasons for the higher demand are the challenges posed by globalization and climate change and the threat to democracy from populism and extremism, with which children and young people are confronted relatively early.
more on the subject
Icon: Spiegel Plus dealing with AfD members: "We want you to go please"
Icon: Spiegel Plus Education Senator on the AfD "teacher pillory": "It poisoned the school climate" By Miriam Olbrisch
"Thanks for that, AfD" - Why Osnabrück students are hostile to the rightBy Ole-Jonathan Gömmel
However, it is a misunderstanding that teachers have to behave neutrally on these issues, as suggested in the past by the AfD's teacher pillory, the report clarifies.
Teachers are committed to democratic values and human rights and have to take a stand against discrimination and racism.
Education to come of age
The aim of the lesson should be to make the pupils come of age so that they can form their own judgment and participate.
It is not primarily about conveying measurable facts.
"In the times of PISA, we only ever discuss math and German," criticized Palentien.
Political education has a reputation for not being that important.
That was wrong and had to be corrected in elementary schools.
There, in general, with a view to the school tests, more natural sciences than social issues are dealt with.
In addition, the commission called for practical political education to be strengthened, for example through student participation in schools.
more on the subject
Pisa evaluation: How good are Germany's students as "global citizens"? By Silke Fokken
Icon: Spiegel PlusPisa coordinator on the strengths of migrant children: "Other pupils can learn from them" An interview by Susmita Arp
Pisa evaluation: What should change in Germany's schoolsBy Silke Fokken
The fact that political education in schools was so central to its criticism was justified by the commission based on the feedback it had received from young people themselves.
The expert commission consists primarily of science.
Associations that are relevant to youth work were also represented for this edition.
And in discussions and workshops, the assessments and needs of children and young people were asked.
The result was that the school was particularly important as a place for political education.
In addition, political education naturally also takes place in all areas of life for the target group of 0 to 27-year-olds: starting with the family, through daycare, school, training or college, to youth and party work, voluntary services and the armed forces as well as social Movement and digital media.
Central points of criticism:
more on the subject
Youth study: Generation fun-free by Swantje Unterberg
Shell Study 2019: Majority of Young People Believe the Government is Hiding "the Truth" By Miriam Olbrisch
With regard to the role of
families
, the report joins the criticism that educational opportunities in Germany are still too closely linked to the family circumstances of the children.
This also affects what experiences children and young people can have in their families, which are important for their own political stance.
In the
daycare centers
, even the youngest should experience that they are taken seriously and that they are heard.
That lays the foundation for a democratic understanding.
In
vocational training
, questions of practical democracy such as taxes and social security should be more focused;
Unions should also pay more attention to trainees and young workers.
For
universities
, the commission recommends that more freedom be provided for existing participation formats such as student representation and that political education be included in the curricula of all courses.
Addressed to the
political parties
, the commission criticizes the fact that they have too little focus on education and primarily focus on recruiting young people.
This is better for the party-affiliated foundations.
Here, however, the Commission calls for greater cooperation with other areas of youth education.
In the case of
voluntary services
, more must be done to ensure that these offers are accepted by young people regardless of their origin or educational background.
With regard to the
Federal Armed Forces
, it is important that they are introduced to young people, for example at schools, but recruiting must be strictly avoided.
In the organization itself, extremist attitudes should also be systematically monitored.
And given the importance of
social media
for political education, the commission called for more media literacy to be imparted.
more on the subject
Bundeswehr in schools: This is what youth officers and career advisors do by Swantje Unterberg
Icon: Spiegel Plus Strategy dispute among climate activists: Fridays for Bundestag By Jonas Schaible
Icon: Spiegel Plus CDU dispute about the right to vote at 16: "Then the broken school toilet would play a bigger role" An interview by Dietmar Pieper
Protests and social movements
such as Fridays for Future, on the other hand, the report attests to great potential for political education.
The commitment should be supported even more, for example by providing rooms.
The commissioners also called for the
voting age
to be
lowered
to 16 years.
Family Minister Franziska Giffey, whose ministry commissioned the reports on children and young people, also joined in.
She promised that politicians would deal with the recommendations.
The criticism should not fizzle out.
Icon: The mirror