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Empty classroom in Baden-Württemberg: something different applies in every country
Photo: Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
The federal states should decide for themselves when and how daycare centers and schools can reopen.
Federalism is the better order than centralism, said Angela Merkel on Wednesday at the meeting with the Prime Minister.
There are deeply anchored state responsibilities at daycare centers and schools, "it is simply not possible that I can assert myself as Federal Chancellor as if I had a veto right."
The differences between the federal states are great: Many are planning to open it gradually from February 22nd, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse.
Saxony has announced that it will reopen its facilities on February 15th.
Saxony-Anhalt, on the other hand, wants to stick to its plan to gradually open schools from March 1st.
In Lower Saxony, on the other hand, elementary school students have been in so-called alternating operations since January.
This is what it is now mostly about in the other countries.
That means: classes are divided and alternately attend school.
Most of the older students are not expected to see their schools from the inside until March, with the exception of final classes, for which face-to-face lessons have already been possible.
And what about masks?
What about quick tests for teachers?
As you can see, the situation is not exactly easy to summarize - and it also depends crucially on the development of the number of infections in the respective cities and districts.
A first orientation is the goal.
Therefore, the following list can only be a snapshot that does not cover all regulations and exceptions in detail.
For example, for special needs schools there are easing that we have not listed in every case.
What is planned in the individual federal states?
The overview:
Corona regulations (as of February 12, 2021)
Baden-Württemberg Arrow up Arrow down
schools
Primary schools should reopen from February 22nd - if the infection numbers allow it and the virus mutation does not worsen the situation.
The lessons should take place alternately.
This also applies to graduating classes.
Otherwise, distance learning should initially be offered at the secondary schools.
The aim is to soon enable face-to-face teaching here as well.
Teachers are to be given masks and two rapid antigen tests every week.
Daycare centers
Daycare centers are to open gradually from February 22nd.
Bavaria Up arrow Down arrow
schools
From February 22nd, there will be alternating lessons for grades 1 to 4 as well as for the final grades of secondary and middle schools - as it already takes place for high school graduates.
In all types of schools, alternating lessons are linked to an incidence of less than 100 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days.
If the incidence is over 100, there is distance learning.
A requirement to wear medical masks in class is to be introduced for teachers.
The teachers are also to be provided with material for two voluntary corona self-tests per week.
Schoolchildren from the age of 15 should also receive a voluntary self-test per week.
Daycare centers
Regular operation in small groups is linked to an incidence of less than 100.
Parents who want to look after their children at home will be reimbursed the daycare fee.
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schools
Schools are to open gradually from February 22nd, for grades 1 to 3 there will be alternating lessons in half the class from then on.
This happens either to the extent of at least three lessons a day or according to the school decision and in coordination with the school conference on a daily or weekly basis.
Emergency care will continue to be offered in grades 1 to 6.
Graduating classes will initially continue to be taught either at home or in an alternating model with half the class size.
All age groups are required to wear a face-to-face mask.
It can be dispensed with outdoors if a minimum distance of 1.5 meters is observed.
The requirement to be present remains suspended.
Corona self-tests are being prepared for staff at the schools and students.
Daycare centers
Access to emergency care will be expanded from February 22nd.
The upper limit for the maximum occupancy of a daycare center will be increased from the current 50 percent to 60 percent.
The impending transition to school and the need for language support are recognized as further reasons for emergency care.
A prerequisite for emergency care is that the parents either work in a so-called systemically relevant profession, are single parents or there are special social or educational reasons and child care cannot be organized differently.
If the permissible occupancy limit is not exceeded, children whose parents do not work in a system-relevant area may also take advantage of the emergency care.
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schools
From February 22nd, under strict hygiene concepts, alternating lessons for primary school students are to take place.
In Brandenburg this includes grades 1 to 6. In addition, final grades continue to receive face-to-face tuition, unless otherwise regulated due to the particularly high number of infections in the region.
Teachers and other school employees can have themselves tested for the corona virus five times free of charge from February 15 (until April).
Daycare centers
The daycare centers are open, but parents are asked to look after the children at home if possible.
All employees in child and youth welfare facilities who have contact with children, adolescents, young adults, parents or other custodians can be tested with rapid tests from February.
The state is funding up to two rapid tests within a week up to April 30th.
The tests are voluntary.
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schools
In Bremen things will continue as before: there is no requirement for schoolchildren to be present.
Students can either take alternating tuition or study entirely at home.
Distance lessons are compulsory.
Daycare centers
Emergency care is offered for children.
The parents' self-assessment is sufficient for this.
A maximum of ten children can be looked after in the groups.
Employees are offered a Covid-19 rapid test twice a week.
Participation in at least one weekly test is mandatory.
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schools
Distance lessons will continue to be given at the Hamburg schools until the end of February.
This means that the students usually study at home.
We expressly appeal to all parents not to send their children to school.
Educational support is only available in schools for those pupils for whom there is no suitable alternative.
The schools offer preparatory colloquia in small groups for graduating classes.
There are holidays in Hamburg from March 1 to 14.
It is currently being discussed which teaching model the schools will use to start their presence again afterwards.
For emergency care, it is currently mandatory to wear mouth and nose protection.
An adjustment when returning to face-to-face classes from March 15th is currently being discussed.
In addition, advice will be given on whether and to what extent students and teachers can be tested from March 15th.
Daycare centers
In the day-care centers, the extended emergency care will initially continue until the beginning of March.
The next steps have not yet been decided.
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schools
From February 22nd, alternating classes for grades 1 to 6 should begin - provided the number of infections allows.
In addition, a mask requirement should apply in schools from the first grade.
"Teachers are provided with sufficient FFP2 masks or medical masks," says the ministry.
Students do not have to wear medical masks, everyday masks are allowed.
Teachers can have themselves tested in a doctor's office once a week free of charge.
Daycare centers
Daycare centers offer »regular operation in case of urgent need«.
Parents can bring their children when they cannot care for them at home.
Educators can be tested free of charge at any time.
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schools
Primary school students are expected to return to schools after the winter break from February 22nd.
This should apply to rural districts and urban districts that have an incidence value of less than 50.
Emergency care in elementary school should be available from an incidence value of 150.
The graduating classes can continue to attend schools.
The rules that apply to the other years will be determined on Friday.
Here you can find out who has to wear mouth and nose protection to school and when.
Daycare centers
Daycare centers are generally open, but parents should - if possible - look after their children at home.
From an incidence value of 150, the daycare centers only provide emergency care.
Regular operation under pandemic conditions is to be offered from February 22nd if the incidence value in the respective district or urban district is below 50.
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schools
Until the end of February, only elementary school pupils, special school pupils and graduating classes will receive alternating lessons.
All other students continue to study from home for the time being.
Emergency care up to grade 6 remains.
The presence requirement is still suspended.
From March, depending on the number of infections, there will be a gradual return to classroom teaching.
Initially, alternating classes are to take place until the Easter break.
Teachers do not need to wear medical masks.
Until the Easter holidays, the more than 100,000 teachers and school administrators as well as the educational staff at the schools, but also caretakers and school administrators, can have themselves tested by resident doctors once a week.
No rapid tests are currently planned by the state for schoolchildren.
Daycare centers
The day-care centers for children are currently closed, but emergency care is offered in small groups up to half the normal group size.
Daycare centers are to be opened gradually from March.
Regular operation in fixed groups should be offered.
Educators can be tested by resident doctors once a week with rapid antigen tests until the Easter holidays.
If the national incidence rises above 50, the measures will be tightened again.
North Rhine-Westphalia Arrow up Arrow down
Schools
From February 22nd, lessons for primary school students (elementary and special schools) will be resumed in the form of a change between face-to-face and distance teaching.
A return to face-to-face teaching with full class strength is made possible for final classes.
Classes and study groups can also be divided if the personnel and space requirements are met.
All other students will also be taught at a distance after February 22nd.
If the incidence value falls below 50, the youngest should again receive classroom instruction.
Teachers should wear FFP-2 masks, they receive two masks per day.
You should be able to get tested twice a week.
With a 7-day incidence below 50, NRW wants to take further steps and start teaching outside of primary schools.
Daycare centers
Until February 21, there is a limited pandemic operation in the day-care centers, in which the scope of care for each child is limited by ten hours per week.
The state government also appeals to all parents to look after their children themselves whenever possible.
However, supervision is possible for professional or family reasons.
Daycare workers and day care workers can voluntarily have themselves tested twice a week.
How things should continue from February 22nd is still being discussed.
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schools
From February 22nd, grades 1 to 4 as well as the pupils of the lower grades of the special needs schools should come to the schools in an alternating model.
Whenever a distance of 1.5 meters in the classroom can be maintained without division, entire classes can be taught in continuous presence.
The pupils are obliged to take part in the attendance phases.
In elementary schools and special needs schools, the mask requirement applies in class.
This does not apply to schoolchildren who, due to their disability, cannot wear or tolerate a mask.
If the infection rate allows, all grades should come back to schools in alternating classes.
Teachers and other staff at daycare centers and schools can have themselves tested for an infection with the coronavirus at any time without cause.
Daycare centers
For the time being, nothing will change for the daycare centers.
They offer »regular operation in case of urgent need«.
Parents can bring their children when they cannot care for them at home.
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schools
From February 22nd, alternating classes are to take place in the primary levels of elementary and special schools.
Schoolchildren and teachers are required to wear mouth and nose protection.
FFP2 masks are available for teachers who belong to a risk group.
Rapid tests are to be offered.
How to proceed with the secondary schools will be discussed in February.
Daycare centers
"Needs-based care" will continue to be offered.
Every child who needs care can therefore be looked after in the daycare without proof.
However, the country appeals to parents to look after their children at home.
Employees of educational institutions and daycare centers have been able to get a free test since August.
Since January you can decide for yourself how often you want to be tested.
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schools
Graduating classes receive face-to-face tuition in small, separate groups.
From February 15th, lessons will start again according to the concept of fixed classes or groups for
Primary school pupils
Primary school pupils in special schools
Pupils of the lower grades at the schools with a special focus on intellectual development and the support centers with the corresponding courses.
Alternating classes are planned for all secondary schools from March 8th.
There has not yet been a decision.
It is currently not compulsory to wear masks in primary education.
Teachers can get a free test once a week.
In the final classes, voluntary tests were offered for the students (at the start of school and after the winter holidays).
Daycare centers
Emergency care is currently being offered in Saxony.
From February 15, there should be limited regular operation.
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schools
The schools in Saxony-Anhalt will be closed until February 28th, except for final years.
There will still be emergency care for grades 1-6.
From March 1, face-to-face teaching is to be resumed in elementary and special schools, provided that the incidence in the respective district was always below 200 in the days from February 22 to 26.
The obligation to be present remains lifted.
If the incidence value falls to 50, regular operation should resume at all schools in the respective district or the respective independent city.
Teachers can be tested weekly.
For teachers who belong to a risk group, two FFP2 masks are provided per day.
There are other medical masks for teachers who do not belong to the risk group.
Daycare centers
From March 1st, daycare centers are to offer limited regular operation.
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schools
From February 22nd there will be classroom lessons for primary school children again - but not in circles with “diffuse, higher infection rate or spread of a virus variant”.
Distance learning is still offered for grades 5 to 13.
There is emergency care for grades 5 and 6 and face-to-face offers are continued for the final grades.
Regular tests are to be made possible for teachers and employees at schools.
Daycare centers
Regular operations under pandemic conditions should start on February 22nd - in counties and urban districts that have a stable incidence value of below 100.
On February 15, the state government will finally decide where regular operations in elementary schools and daycare centers will be possible from February 22.
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schools
Final classes are offered face-to-face tuition - in which form and in which rhythm the schools themselves decide. In elementary schools and for grades 5 to 6 as well as for pupils with special needs there is emergency care.
It is still unclear when it will gradually be opened further.
Daycare centers
There is emergency care.
Daycare centers, like primary schools, should be the first to open again.
There are currently no concrete plans.
With material from dpa
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