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No "completely foreseeable development": School lessons under Corona conditions in Baden-Württemberg
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Felix Kästle / dpa
The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) made a commitment a long time ago: almost two weeks ago it promised "permanent regular operation" with all school subjects and lessons for the period after the summer vacation. The Leopoldina, the National Academy of Sciences, also advocates "keeping educational institutions open while taking appropriate protective measures" into account in a current ad hoc statement. Face-to-face operation is the most effective way of learning for almost all children.
The dangers of the delta variant, a possible fourth wave, reminders to open it carefully?
"The most important thing is that the schools start with full face-to-face teaching," said KMK President Britta Ernst (SPD) about the joint decision.
"I am pleased with the renewed unanimity and clarity with which the education ministers have made this decision."
Critics then blasphemed that the ministries might not have considered that the virus was not adhering to KMK decisions.
And Udo Beckmann, head of the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE), accused the ministers of simply ignoring the danger of a fourth wave with their regulation of face-to-face teaching.
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On Monday, there were more cautious withdrawals from the pure presence course of the KMK.
The federal government emphasized that the intended return to full school operation after the summer holidays would continue.
At the same time, government spokesman Steffen Seibert also referred to possible corona risks: After everything that children had to go through in the pandemic, it is very much to be hoped that face-to-face classes will be possible everywhere again after the holidays, as planned.
Development cannot be foreseen
Even in view of the more contagious Delta virus variant, “we are not dealing with a completely predictable development,” said Seibert.
The events should therefore be closely observed over the summer.
"Of course, it cannot be ruled out that major outbreaks of infection may occur locally, which we should then react to."
A look at Great Britain and Portugal shows how large numbers of infections could arise again due to the delta variant, even with a very positive development.
And in Germany, too, there have already been several outbreaks in schools and daycare centers.
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Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) said on Monday at "Industry Day" that one of the main goals was to keep normal school life as long as possible.
Switching classes are not sought.
It is also possible to start without it after the summer vacation.
In the further development, changing lessons can also be avoided with the right instruments, Spahn made clear in a discussion held in English.
At the same time, the politician said with regard to virus variants: "We have to be prepared for anything."
Warnings against carelessness
The health minister put some of his own statements from the weekend into perspective.
Spahn said on Saturday that Corona measures in schools would have to be maintained for a long time.
In autumn and winter, despite the currently very low incidence, measures such as mask compulsory or alternating instruction will probably still be necessary.
Opposition politicians from the Greens, the Left and the FDP called for concrete preparations on Monday to prevent schools from being closed again.
After the summer, the students should not suffer from too much carelessness, said the Greens health expert Janosch Dahmen.
Hesse’s Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) also expressly did not rule out a return to contact restrictions.
"The federal government must not oversleep the summer and must now prepare Germany for autumn," Dahmen told the "Welt".
"We are in a race between vaccination speed and new mutations like the Delta variant."
Left parliamentary group leader Amira Mohamed Ali also called on the federal government to create the structures in the summer "to enable a good autumn and winter".
This includes, for example, accelerating the vaccination campaign.
The deputy FDP parliamentary group leader Michael Theurer called for the summer holidays to be used to install air filter systems in all classrooms.
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Bouffier told the editorial network Germany that he expects that the Delta variant will also be the predominant virus variant in Germany in a month's time.
Then it would depend on the effectiveness of the vaccines and the vaccination quota in the population, “whether we get a fourth wave and go back to contact restrictions.
We can't rule that out. "
KMK President Britta Ernst warned again against early stipulations on restrictions on regular lessons after the summer vacation.
The regular lessons should "not be questioned prematurely," she told the "Tagesspiegel".
him / dpa / AFP
