Delay in delivery of air filters: teacher representative complains about pollution

Munich's schools are struggling with delivery delays for air filters.

In addition, the teachers are under great strain.

But the hope remains that the schools will not have to close.

Munich - You should clean the air in the room and reduce the risk of infection: In Munich *, all classrooms in grades 1 to 6 and the common rooms in day-care centers for students in grades 1 to 4 are equipped with mobile air filters.

But there is a delivery delay in the procurement of the devices.

Around 5,500 air filters were ordered by the Department for Education and Sport (RBS) following a city council resolution in July.

By the autumn holidays, 50 percent of the devices should be installed - depending on delivery capacity, as the RBS said in mid-September.

Apparently there is already a bottleneck.

Because currently only around 600 classrooms and rooms in around 50 schools in the city are equipped with air filters *.

This resulted in a request from our newspaper to the education department.

Instead of the hoped-for 50 percent, the installation could only be carried out in around ten percent of the rooms.

Delays in delivery of air filters for Munich's schools

According to RBS, the order for the air filters was tendered in four lots, and the contract for the first two lots was awarded to two suppliers in the second half of September.

The original schedule stipulates that all classrooms in grades 1 to 6 are gradually supplied with the devices by the Christmas break.

But it doesn't look like that.

A spokeswoman for the RBS admits: “Unfortunately, further delivery delays at the manufacturers due to a lack of resources cannot be ruled out.” Incidentally, the costs amount to around 21.7 million euros, with the city hoping that the state and the federal government will step in for the financing.

Heavy burden on teachers

However, the devices often do not run at full capacity during lessons.

"The air filters are loud," says the chairman of the Munich teachers' association, Martin Schmid.

The burden on teachers is high, he reports.

Because: "The teachers have to take on a lot of additional tasks." These include, for example, the organization of the pool tests, contact with the parents in the event of positive test results and the determination of the contact persons for the student concerned.

In addition, there was a lack of mobile reserves when teachers were absent.

"The already existing teacher shortage is extremely exacerbated," says Schmid.

“Everyone is at their limit.” There is also great fear of infection: “The wave rushes through the schools,” he reports.

"Normal everyday school life is long gone."

Nevertheless, everyone has one wish: "We hope that the schools will not be closed," explains Martin Schmid.

"The students suffered extremely." Loneliness, fear and psychological problems would have increased: "The school long Covid * will catch up with us," fears Schmid.