"If this country should still be prosperous in 20 years...": "Lanz" group raises educational alarm

Created: 11/17/2022, 10:58 am

Markus Lanz and his guests in the show from November 16th, 2022.

© Cornelia Lehmann/ZDF

In his ZDF talk, Markus Lanz tries to fathom the cause of the German educational misery in schools and kindergartens.

One expert speaks of "permanent crisis mode".

"Markus Lanz" on Wednesday evening is about the educational emergency in German schools.

Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger from the FDP does not hide the problems.

As a result, emotions run high: education crisis.

educational emergency.

educational disaster.

According to educational scientist Aladin El-Mafaalani from the University of Osnabrück, Germany is already in the last stage: "The hut is on fire!

There is no other way to put it,” says the professor.

And comments in the direction of Markus Lanz: "We should have done the show 20 years ago." One is already "permanently in crisis mode".

The sometimes visibly touched expert calls for a clear "signal" to "rethink" and a "reorganization of specialists" from politics in the program.

The latter would have to be “brought into” the schools from outside in order to at least remedy the massive shortage of teachers.

Stark-Watzinger remains calm - and in the general sphere.

She speaks of an “opportunity budget”, the possibility of “educational advancement” and special support.

Politics must "find a balance" - help and still promote the responsibility of the citizens. 

"Markus Lanz" - these guests discussed with:

• Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) -

  Federal Minister of Education and Research

• Prof. Aladin El-Mafaalani -

  holder of the chair for education and training in the migration society at the University of Osnabrück.

• Philippa Sigl-Glöckner -

  Director of the think tank "Future Department"

• Sasha Lobo

  - publicist

Markus Lanz is not convinced.

There are "shock waves that are going through the education system right now," says the moderator, and in a clip he shows pictures of a German school: broken windows, mold on the walls and in the toilets.

Dirty and badly damaged inventory.

The round is embarrassed after the pictures.

Even the Minister of Education had to swallow and stutter when asked when she had to admit that she was basically informed about the structural problems.

Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger dismisses the issue and refers to state sovereignty

How can it be that a rich country like Germany has no money for the education of its children?

Lanz wants to know who is responsible for this and who has the power to "change something about these conditions".

The minister softens things down - even if she wanted to, she couldn't change anything about the situation and refers to the federal states' sovereignty in matters of education.

also read

Rocket impact: Poland wants to meet Ukraine's demand "soon" - Duda consultant explains the current thesis

Trump's morning reading brushes him off: "'Florida retiree' announces 'what no expert saw coming'"

El-Mafaalani indirectly agrees with the minister and explains the unfavorable division of federal, state and local authorities in the German education system: the state is responsible for teachers and the curriculum, the municipalities for the structural substance and digitization, for grants and fundamental political issues the Bund.

Author Sascha Lobo does not want to take responsibility for the federal government so easily.

He sees the "debt brake" upheld by Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) as a political instrument for not pushing the necessary funding for educational reform.

Lobo caricatures the associated attitude: "It's super important with education, but unfortunately we don't have the money for that."

When it comes to education, Germany “simply left out” important investments

The main problem, according to El-Mafaalani: Germany has "simply left out" important investments in education.

Despite the dramatic situation, there is still “no awareness of the problem in society”.

In addition, people overslept to meet the fundamental social structural change with new concepts, meanwhile the status of diversity is "overly complex", according to the professor, which means: no longer manageable.

There are classes in which students come from a dozen different native languages.

In addition, there is the dissolution of family structures, the increasing employment of both parents.

There are children who grow up more privileged than "never in the history of mankind", they are "well equipped", were "brought up non-violently" - but at the same time there is an increase in poverty in Germany "as probably hasn't been for a long time". .

Overwhelmed teachers with poor equipment are mostly left alone with this situation.

As a result, "even the most committed" eventually failed "at this system".

According to El-Mafaalani, the problems at the elementary schools are self-made due to the poor pay for the teachers there.

Especially those children who need special support are badly affected.

Expert warns: Untrained workers are future debts

Stark-Watzinger, whose children, according to her statement on the show, go to school in Great Britain, also admits: "For decades, not enough has been invested in schools".

The minister concedes that "not all problems can be solved overnight" and speaks of a "mammoth task".

Lobo, himself a father, warns: "If this country is to still be prosperous in twenty years' time," some radical changes must be made.

In terms of digital equipment alone, Germany lags far behind comparable countries.

Lobo: "The school equipment belongs in the museum!"

The director of the think tank "Department Future" Philippa Sigl-Glöckner takes the same line from the other side and warns: "Untrained workers" are "future debts" and mentions a lack of tax revenue and increasing spending on social benefits.

Sigl-Glöckner calls for a special fund to be organized this year and fears that the "chance will be gone" if that doesn't happen.

Conclusion of the "Markus Lanz" talk

The program tries to probe the problems of the education system and rattles off the problem areas.

But she doesn't get to the bottom of the cause: Why does politics seem to be watching how a problem that has been known for years continues to intensify?

Markus Lanz repeatedly takes up the question of the lack of will to reform, but the Minister of Education does not seem particularly touched.