School start in Bavaria: “Fear of infection is great” - Are schools equipped for Omikron?
Created: 01/10/2022, 4:39 PM
From: Verena Möckl
In Bavaria, the schools start with stricter corona rules in presence.
You see yourself well prepared for Omikron.
(Symbol picture) © Nicolas Armer / dpa
Classes in Bavarian schools started on Monday in attendance.
The Ministry of Culture and the Head of the Education Department feel well prepared for Omikron.
The BLLV is concerned.
Munich - In Bavaria *, schoolchildren go back to the classroom after the Christmas break.
Despite the increasing number of infections, schools are starting to be present.
As the Ministry of Education and Culture announced when asked by
Merkur.de
, the first day of school “usually went absolutely smoothly”.
Teachers are now experienced in dealing with hygiene rules and safety measures.
Many students and teachers have also voluntarily tested themselves in advance.
The Bavarian Minister of Culture Michael Piazolo (FW) and Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) appealed to all students before school started.
Please do a self-test or a quick test on the weekend before school starts.
If after two weeks without school tests only people who have proven to be negative go to school, avoidable infections are reduced and safety for everyone increased!
Michael Piazolo and Klaus Holetschek
Bavaria's Minister of Education, Dr.
Michael Piazolo (Free Voters) is in favor of face-to-face teaching.
© Sven Hoppe / dpa
In order to ensure safety in class for everyone involved in the face of the impending Omikron wave, the rules for schoolchildren have been tightened.
Even vaccinated and convalescent pupils now need a negative test certificate in order to be allowed to participate in the class.
Vaccinated and recovered teachers and other people working at the school can volunteer to test themselves.
You can find all the latest news about the start of school in Bavaria in the news ticker.
Omikron: Schools in Bavaria see themselves as well equipped
The elementary and middle schools in Bavaria see themselves well prepared for the start of school - also with regard to the particularly contagious coronavirus mutant Omikron.
In September, PCR pool tests were introduced at the primary schools, the primary school level of the support centers and at various support centers.
Additional self-tests at primary schools and support centers complement the PCR pool tests.
The primary and secondary schools in Regensburg * are well equipped for Omikron, according to the head of the school authorities, Clemens Sieber.
"We are now well-rehearsed with the tests and with the communication with the health department," he says when asked by
Merkur.de.
“Our goal is to keep the schools open as long as possible.” There is no substitute for classroom teaching, emphasized Sieber.
The effects of Omikron on school activities will have to be seen, however.
School start in Munich: discomfort and joy about face-to-face teaching with teachers
In Munich, according to the head of the education authority, Bettina Betz, the teachers returned to the schools with discomfort. "The fear of infection is great, but we are all happy that the students are allowed to come," she said in an interview with
Merkur.de
.
Schools in Munich feel well prepared for the start of school.
Regular tests keep an eye on the outbreak, according to Betz.
She fears that there could soon be numerous missed lessons if teachers have to be quarantined.
"We have to see that the classes can be taken care of." However, that is difficult.
“Distance learning is the very last resort,” she emphasizes.
The subsequent problems from recent years, such as learning delays, psychological stress or weaning from school and social interaction, are still noticeable.
Schools in Swabia feel well prepared for Omikron
As Markus Wörle, director of education for the city of Augsburg, told
Merkur.de
when asked, there was a positive mood in Augsburg at the start of school. "We have a very good cooperation on site with the school administration office and the education department of the city of Augsburg as well as the school inspectors of the other school types as well as the health department of the city of Augsburg." You feel well prepared for the classroom lessons after the Christmas holidays.
"I am currently very confident that we can and will continue to attend classroom teaching," Wörle told
Merkur.de
.
Of course, you have to keep an eye on current developments.
He did not rule out that, with high numbers of infections, individual classes could again be taught at a distance if they are in quarantine.
Bavarian Ministry of Culture: "Our goal remains face-to-face teaching"
Last week, Piazolo spoke out clearly against distance teaching.
“Our goal will remain face-to-face teaching for the next few weeks and months,” emphasizes Daniel Otto, press spokesman for the Bavarian Ministry of Culture, when asked by
Merkur.de
.
Schools in particular would help contain the pandemic with consistent testing.
In order to avoid distance lessons, a “tight-knit safety net” has been created, explains Otto.
This is made up of tests, vaccination offers, mask requirements, ventilation concepts and hygiene rules.
"But we keep checking the safety net at Bavaria's schools and adapting it to the infection rate." Also with regard to Omikron.
Concern about Omikron - BLLV: "We don't feel safe"
But Simone Fleischmann is skeptical.
The President of the Bavarian Teachers' Association (BLLV) is very concerned about the start of school after the holidays.
In view of the rapidly spreading virus variant Omikron, there is great uncertainty among teachers, parents and students.
In an interview with
Merkur.de
, Fleischmann spoke out in favor of clearly regulated face-to-face teaching.
However, according to the current measures, this is not the case.
"We don't feel safe."
Annoyed: BLLV boss Simone Fleischmann.
© Peter Kneffel / dpa
The security concept of the Ministry of Culture does not convince Fleischmann.
She had requested a framework plan with clear parameters * from the Ministry of Culture - but so far without success.
“Politics has ducked,” complains Fleischmann.
The BLLV therefore demand an immediate program from the Ministry of Culture next Wednesday.
"The state has to readjust." In an interview with the
BR
, Minister of Culture Piazolo emphasized that developments in the next few days and weeks will be kept in view and evaluated accordingly and, if necessary, readjusted.
* Merkur.de / bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
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