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Thuringia: But no comprehensive distance teaching

2021-12-29T13:04:14.559Z


The plan of distance learning for everyone in January is off the table: The Thuringian Ministry of Education has set new rules, now the schools should decide. The background is an urgent application from a school child.


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Thuringia's Minister of Education, Helmut Holter

Photo: Michael Reichel / dpa

The Thuringian Education Minister Helmut Holter (left) has moved away from his plan to first extend the Christmas holidays in his state by two days and then send all students to distance learning by mid-January.

Late on Tuesday evening, the Ministry in Erfurt rowed back: Instead, the Thuringian schools should now evaluate the corona infection situation themselves and then decide whether to switch to distance learning.

This emerges from a new general decree that the Ministry of Education has issued for schools in Thuringia.

"In this way, we are taking the necessary precautions and creating the appropriate options to be able to react appropriately to the expected infections with the new virus variant," said the reason.

Despite the lack of a basis in the Federal Infection Protection Act, there is now the possibility in the whole of Thuringia of "taking into account the local situation to implement distance learning in a school-related manner".

This would protect the educational opportunities of children and adolescents despite the expected increase in infections from the Omikron variant of the coronavirus.

more on the subject

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  • Corona gaps: Teachers show little interest in paid overtime

After the announcement of the nationwide distance teaching, a schoolchild from Weimar, represented by his parents, had submitted an urgent application to the Higher Administrative Court (OVG).

Among other things, it was argued that there was no legal basis for distance learning for all children and adolescents.

The Erfurt Ministry of Education still has until Thursday noon to comment, the OVG Weimar confirmed in response to a request from SPIEGEL.

Difficult back and forth for parents

Nevertheless, those responsible in the Ministry of Education have already reacted to the legal concerns with the new general decree. "The decision in favor of face-to-face, alternating or distance tuition rests with the school management on site," says Claudia Koch, spokeswoman for the state parents' representative in Thuringia: "We are now hoping for good and responsible considerations at the individual schools."

The political back and forth is difficult for the parents because the form of teaching is often associated with a care problem. Emergency care is provided for employees in the critical infrastructure, but that is not enough. Koch demanded that the number of possible days of absence for employees due to sick children be increased. The previous age limit of twelve years must also be raised: "The state must lobby the federal government for this."

Education Minister Helmut Holter also spoke out on Wednesday in favor of an amendment to the Federal Infection Protection Act in order to enable distance teaching across the board in schools.

He expects the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) to come to an understanding and formulate new recommendations before the next call by the heads of government from the federal and state levels on January 7, Holter told the dpa news agency.

Minister urges colleagues to react quickly

"The situation has simply changed and that is why we in the KMK also need a new assessment of the situation," said Holter.

He is convinced that the education sector must react to the Omikron variant.

"In the end we run the risk that the schools will be empty because children and adults are no longer there, because they are either unfortunately sick, infected and are in quarantine," said Holter.

He would like the KMK to position itself in such a way that distance teaching is possible across the board.

This means that the Federal Infection Protection Act must be changed accordingly.

In Holter's opinion, a prime ministerial conference on January 7th would be too late in view of Omikron's prognoses.

It is a matter of being prepared to be able to ward off a fifth wave: “Everyone knows that the omicron wave is coming.

At the moment, what's going on at the federal level is all too late for me. "

with material from dpa

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2021-12-29

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