Once again, the school issue could not be satisfactorily resolved at the Corona summit.
The teachers' association speaks of "failure", Saxony wants to reopen schools in April.
In the decision of the Corona summit on March 22, the school topic only plays a small role.
You can read about all the important resolutions here.
The test options in schools and daycare centers are to be expanded
(see update from March 23, 8:47 a.m.).
Saxony wants to nail it down and open the schools again from April 12th
(see update from March 23rd, 10:15 p.m.)
.
This news ticker is updated regularly.
Update from March 23, 10:15 p.m.:
Different federal states, different rules - this is how the Corona education concept can be summarized in a nutshell.
Saxony is now one of the first federal states to rush ahead and nail it with its heads.
From April 12th, the schools there should open again.
The daycare centers and schools are currently closed in five districts of Saxony.
Education Minister Christian Piwarz (CDU) said at a video conference of the government on Tuesday evening that the conditions for face-to-face teaching were being discussed.
Teachers and students from all types of schools are to be tested twice a week.
"We need 1.2 million
rapid
tests for each, and we are
working on the procurement," says Piwarz.
This interim solution should take effect until the federal government's vaccination plan can be implemented across the board.
CDU Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer had previously stated that the vaccine would "not be available as we need it" until May.
In Saxony, school gates should remain closed from an incidence of 100.
In order to avoid this, protective measures such as wearing masks and keeping your distance should be observed, said Minister of Education Piwarz.
School closings are not imminent, although in several counties and urban districts the incidence value is expected to be over 100 on five working days in a row by the end of the week.
Because in the coming week the Easter holidays in Saxony begin.
Summit resolution on schools: teachers' association “stunned” over “complete failure” - Merkel fails with plan
Update from March 23, 12.12 p.m.:
The teachers' union VBE has accused the heads of government of the federal and state governments of "complete failure" in dealing with the corona pandemic in education.
In a statement published on Tuesday, the Association for Education and Upbringing (VBE) referred to different regulations in the individual countries.
"While in Saxony and Bavaria, for example, the school gates stay closed from an incidence of 100, in Thuringia they are only closed from a guideline value of 200," it said.
The VBE chairman Udo Beckmann said that the deliberations, which lasted until Tuesday night, were expected to result in a specific number.
"It stunned me how the development of the number of new infections in children is simply ignored."
If at least two tests per week, vaccination of the staff, and compliance with the hygiene rules are not possible, the school operation cannot be guaranteed, explained Beckmann.
“We do not want school closings across the board, but there must be clear values for the level of infection from which it is no longer responsible to keep educational institutions open on site.
“It was a mistake in the past few weeks to want to record the actual infection process with just one test,” the VBE boss further criticized.
School decision at the Corona summit: countries are in charge
Update from March 23, 10:00 a.m.:
The federal states are largely responsible for the topic of schools.
On Monday there were still discussions about school closings from an incidence of 200 and openings over 100 with two tests every week.
But nothing more can be read about this in the final decision paper.
Just the goal: “nationwide tests in schools and daycare centers” are to be introduced
(see update from March 23, 8:47 a.m.)
.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD) emphasized in a press conference on Tuesday morning that it was already clear that countries have cultural sovereignty.
That is why “the topic does not have to be debated for hours in the chancellor's round”.
The circulating incident of 200 has "nothing to do with our reality," said Dreyer.
Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) has also advocated open schools and daycare centers despite the increasing number of infections and other rest periods.
"School and daycare is extremely important because we know that it is the children in particular who not only suffer the most from the crisis, but also have to fear the greatest long-term consequences," said Woidke on ZDF "Morgenmagazin".
The plan is that in April tests will be "as often as possible, as quickly as possible" and that teachers will be vaccinated quickly.
School in Corona times: Countries continue to make their own decisions
Update from March 23, 8:47 a.m.:
The tough measures should be accompanied by more tests.
The federal and state governments want to expand corona tests for schoolchildren, teachers and daycare workers and are aiming for “two tests per week as soon as possible”.
The distribution and organization varies from region to region, and practical implementation is still being discussed in many places - for example, the question of whether the tests should take place at home or at school.
Merkel and the Prime Minister did not make any specific agreements on the organization of the further operation of schools and daycare centers, for example on possible closings or other restrictions.
The federal states continue to regulate these questions on their own.
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia decided to keep the schools open, as
reported by msl24.de
*.
Update from March 22, 3:42 p.m.:
In a draft resolution for the currently ongoing Corona summit, it was stated that schools in regions with incidences between 100 and 200 are only allowed to open if a two-time corona test per week is ensured for those present.
This is now off the table, reports at least the
picture
with reference to information from groups of participants.
The decision will not contain a test requirement for schools.
In the draft version from 2:55 p.m., which
Mercury
has, this regulation is still set in square brackets.
Corona in schools and daycare centers: Minister calls for tests also for daycare children
Update from March 22nd, 3:20 p.m.:
Corona tests: They currently seem to be crucial for safe schools and daycare centers.
Federal Family Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) has therefore called for nationwide corona tests also for daycare children.
"The incidence values in day care children have increased demonstrably in the past few days," said Giffey on Monday.
It is therefore necessary to take all age groups into account in the self-tests in schools and daycare centers.
In doing so, daycare children should be “more closely watched”.
It is not enough just to regularly test the adults and the staff in the facilities, said the minister.
"If we want to maintain child day care in daycare centers and day care, we will not be able to avoid testing the children as well." This should be done by the parents before visiting the facility.
The minister campaigned to allay fears of such tests for children.
"There are easy-to-use tests in which it is sufficient to take a swab with a stick in the front area of the nose," she explained.
"That tickles the nose a little and is useful for children."
Should there still be closings or non-opening of facilities, there must be an expansion of the children's sick day regulation, said Giffey.
The aim must be to support those parents who have no childcare facilities for their children beyond the 40 days per child that has been granted to date.
Corona in schools: Hamburg begins with nationwide rapid tests
Update from March 22, 2:30 p.m.:
At the Corona summit, schools and daycare centers are also a point of discussion this time.
A draft resolution from Monday morning says that schools should definitely close with an incidence of 200 or more.
If they are over 100, they are only allowed to open if everyone can be tested twice a week - according to the current plan
(see first report)
.
Hamburg started with nationwide rapid corona tests at all schools on Monday.
In the future, every student will be tested once and the school staff three times a week.
A total of around 480,000 self-test kits were delivered to the schools for this purpose.
"School can even help to limit the spread of the infection in the whole of Hamburg to a certain extent," said school senator Ties Rabe (SPD) in the "12 o'clock Tagesschau".
"Because by testing all of the students here, all employees, we are contributing to more safety, not just in schools," said Rabe.
Pilot tests in the past week with more than 20,000 self-tests among school employees have shown that the test is easy and uncomplicated to use even by laypeople.
The student self-tests at ten pilot schools, including six primary schools, were also successful.
Corona summit live: If there is an incidence of over 100, two corona tests per week in schools in conversation
First report from March 22nd:
Berlin - Almost everything now depends on corona tests
when it comes
to school issues.
Shortly before the Corona summit with Chancellor Angela Merkel * (CDU *) this Monday,
Merkur.de * has
a draft resolution (as of March 22, 10:00 a.m.) for the deliberations.
The paper states that schools and day-care centers
should not
open "if a two-time corona test per week for educators and teachers as well as all pupils and supervised children is not ensured in attendance".
From a 7-day incidence of 200, the facilities should be closed.
So it could already be read on Sunday evening in a first draft resolution.
But there is evidently a certain amount of resistance.
In another draft from Monday morning *, a possible mitigation is noted in square brackets: "With a few days' notice, so that families can adjust to it".
School lessons in corona pandemic: plans leaked before Merkel summit
The draft resolution also provides:
Comprehensive tests in schools and daycare centers "with increasing availability"
Two tests by students: inside and teacher: inside per week - however, “target goal” and “at least” are noted as restrictions.
Preferred vaccination * for daycare workers as well as primary and special school teachers
Teachers' Association considers school openings due to corona incidence "irresponsible"
There is, however, a general dispute about face-to-face teaching.
"With a view to the risk of infection, this is not responsible," said teacher association president Heinz-Peter Meidinger of the
Rheinische Post
on Monday.
It would only be feasible if teachers were already vaccinated against Corona * and enough rapid tests were made available for schools, says the teacher representative.
“But we are still miles away from that at 9 out of 10 schools.” Politicians have failed to make educational institutions safe areas through vaccination prioritization, the organization of daily tests, room air filters and a nationwide “qualified mask requirement”.
Politicians are also responsible for the fact that schools have to close again across the board in the near future, added the teacher representative.
In Bavaria, teachers even wrote a fire letter to Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) because of inadequate Corona concepts in schools *.
Corona in Germany: "Many children and young people suffer from the situation"
The Standing Conference of Ministers of Education (KMK) contradicts - and warns of the effects of renewed school closings.
"Many children and young people are suffering from the pandemic situation," said KMK President Britta Ernst (SPD *) of the
Bild
newspaper on Monday.
So that the consequences do not accompany their lives permanently, the priority of KMP is to keep the schools open "as long as possible".
"The education ministers are concerned about the effects of the measures taken in the course of containing the SARS-CoV pandemic for children and young people," said the education minister of Brandenburg.
(frs with material from AFP and dpa) * Merkur.de and msl24.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / dpa |
Gregor Fischer