As of: March 1, 2024, 1:12 p.m
By: Katarina Amtmann
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Bavaria is reacting to the poor Pisa results by teaching more German and math in primary schools - but not at the expense of religion.
Munich - No cuts despite three hours of religion per week: The CSU prevails on the new timetable for primary schools.
There are drawbacks in other subjects.
Changes in Bavaria after the Pisa shock: More German and math - no compromises on religion
At Bavarian primary schools there will definitely be no compromises in religious education in favor of more German and math.
Instead, cuts are needed in arts, music and crafts, or English education, or even both.
This was decided by the Bavarian cabinet on Tuesday, February 27th.
After the cabinet meeting in Munich, Education Minister Anna Stolz (Free Voters) emphasized that no subject would be completely eliminated.
In addition, the cabinet has decided on a new concept for the integration of foreign students and, as announced, plans to gradually begin equipping all students with mobile devices.
Changes to the school plan: The details of the cabinet decisions
New timetable
: Stolz announced weeks ago that she would like to strengthen the subjects of German and mathematics in primary schools in response to the poor German PISA results.
This has now been decided: From the coming school year, there will be an additional hour of German lessons in grades one to four, and an additional hour of mathematics in grades one and three.
However, the total number of hours in primary school is not increasing.
The bottom line is that an hour is added in the first grade and one is lost in the fourth grade.
This means that, for example, in grades three and four there will have to be cuts in the areas of art, music and crafts or in English lessons, or even in both areas: namely if there is an hour of flexible support (which will be referred to in the future as a "flexible hour") is referred to) should remain - otherwise it will be deleted.
The decision lies with the schools.
If schools stick to it, the “flexible hour” can be assigned to each subject or used for support measures.
Religious education will not be cut; the CSU prevailed.
© Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
In the first grade, the schools can also decide: either they increase physical education lessons from two to three hours, or they retain one of the previous two hours of flexible support, which in turn can be allocated flexibly - otherwise the flexible support will be completely eliminated here.
The CSU has prevailed with its veto against any cuts in religious education.
Stolz had not ruled out cuts in the subject of religion, which is taught three hours a week in grades three and four.
However, the CSU immediately objected and declared that there would be no cuts to religion, even after the church loudly intervened.
Stolz respects this and does not see this as a defeat, although she could have imagined giving the schools more leeway.
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School in Bavaria: Mandatory language tests for children
Mandatory language tests:
All children must take mandatory language tests a year and a half before they plan to start school, for the first time in March 2025. Children with insufficient language skills must then take preliminary German courses.
In the spring before starting school, language skills should be checked again.
Children with insufficient language skills should then be deferred - so they will not start school until later.
“We will no longer enroll children in school who do not have sufficient knowledge of German,” said Stolz.
Integration of foreign children:
There is a new concept for newly immigrated students who are assigned to grades 5 and 6 and who do not speak German sufficiently: middle schools, secondary schools, business schools and high schools will be school types independent from the 2024/25 school year Classes for “initial integration” have been set up for all students with a refugee or migrant background.
The distribution should take place in a “breathing system”.
The German classes in grades 7 to 9 will remain at the middle schools.
Bavarian students are to be equipped with tablets
Tablets & Co.:
From the 2024/25 school year onwards, we will gradually begin to equip all students with their own mobile devices across the board.
The start takes place at secondary schools.
According to Stolz, there should be a grant of 350 euros per child to purchase a device.
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