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Elementary school in Hessen: Pupils will soon be able to return to the classrooms
Photo:
Arne Dedert / DPA
The shutdown in Germany is to be extended largely until March 7th.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Prime Minister's Conference defended the ongoing measures with the risk of a third wave that could be triggered by the coronavirus mutation.
When the schools reopen, however, is up to the individual federal states.
There will be no nationwide uniform regulation, said Chancellor Merkel.
Shortly after the statement, some federal states announced that they would gradually open schools in February.
Berlin is planning this step for primary schools on February 22nd, said the Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD).
The opening is organized in strict compliance with hygiene regulations and with alternating lessons, said Müller.
Other federal states also orientated themselves on this date, added the current chairman of the Prime Minister's Conference (MPK).
Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) defended the opening of primary schools and daycare centers in the Free State from next Monday on RTL / ntv.
North Rhine-Westphalia also wants to gradually open the schools from February 22nd.
This should be done in coordination with the neighboring states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Lower Saxony and Hesse, said Prime Minister Armin Laschet.
"Our promise 'schools and daycare centers first' was kept today," he said.
The primary schools should then open in an alternating model, said school minister Yvonne Gebauer.
With a seven-day incidence below 50, NRW will then switch to classroom teaching.
Hesse's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier plans on the same date as Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia.
"We'll open elementary schools and grades five and six with alternating classes from February 22nd," Bouffier said.
"I'm glad we were able to prevail." Daycare centers in Hesse could also go back to restricted regular operations from February 22nd.
»It must finally be an end to going it alone«
Teachers and education associations are critical of the lack of nationwide regulation.
"It must finally be an end to the federal states going it alone in school operations," said Heinz-Peter Meidinger, President of the German Teachers' Association, the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Openings with face-to-face teaching in alternating operations should only take place if the seven-day incidence in the respective region is below 50 cases, he said.
In the worst case, according to the teachers' representative, the schools would have to be closed again due to a third wave in April or May if the schools opened too early.
This could mean that this school year would have to be written off completely.
Meidinger also called for additional efforts for the schools, such as a "massive" regular use of corona self-tests, the procurement of room air filter systems, an operating mask requirement in class and an earlier vaccination of teachers.
The chairman of the Association for Education and Upbringing, Udo Beckmann, also called for more tests, medical masks for teachers and daycare staff and uniform rules.
"We still consider it essential that the same measures are taken nationwide in the event of a comparable infection occurrence on site." The VBE welcomed the idea of offering elementary school and daycare staff a vaccination option earlier.
"This is absolutely necessary and must be implemented as quickly as possible."
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ptz / dpa / Reuters / AFP
