Dorfen - In the future, there will be compulsory courses in kindergarten to prepare for primary school if the little ones have not passed the language test, State Minister Ulrike Scharf explained this at a discussion in the Jakobmayer Bistro in Dorfen, where many school principals were also present.
Dorfen – Question time on Tuesday evening in the Jakobmayer Bistro: “What should be eliminated now?
“Art and music or religion?” Social Minister Ulrike Scharf wanted to know.
Hardly anyone came forward.
“Or maybe English?” Almost everyone held up their hands.
The Bavarian Deputy Prime Minister discussed basic skills and other school matters with around 50 visitors.
The district association of the Women's Union and the CSU school, education and sport working group in Erding had invited.
Another Pisa defeat: the little ones can no longer read, write and calculate properly.
There had been a debate for weeks about where in the timetable needs to be deleted so that Bavaria's primary school students get more hours for German and math lessons from the next school year.
Now it's out: music and art.
“We must not play the subjects off against each other,” emphasized Scharf to the audience, including many school principals.
“For me, cutting back on the arts subjects is the wrong approach,” explained Josef Sterr, who heads the working group and initiated the discussion with the minister.
Dorfen's former mayor introduced the topic: "School and education in transition." It's not just about the current loss of performance in arithmetic and German, but about much more: "Integration, digitalization, shortage of teachers and educational equality - these are the challenges, not only for politics,” the former principal of the Landshut secondary school listed further problems.
The language is the key to ensuring that young people can start school equally well and have adequate educational opportunities, said Scharf.
So far, so known.
In the future, there will be compulsory courses for children aged four and a half and up, with regular language screening - anyone who doesn't pass the test cannot become an ABC shooter - she explained the procedure.
This does not only apply to children with a migrant background, girls and boys whose native language is German also need to be supported, said the State Minister.
Last but not least, the pandemic has increased the need for school social work (JaS).
Scharf also brought good news for the high schools, because, on her initiative, the Free State is introducing the JaS at all high schools in Bavaria.
This is where Michael Oberhofer, district chairman of the Bavarian Teachers' Association (BLLV), intervened: "I sometimes have the feeling that schools are becoming a fully comprehensive product - we also have to encourage parents to take on more personal responsibility."
The BLLV assumes that there are around 4,000 teachers missing from schools in the Free State.
Bavaria's special approach to offering retraining to career changers can make up for some of the teacher shortage.
“Teachers are the be-all and end-all – the work in schools needs to be portrayed in a much more positive way again,” wished district music school director Peter Hackel.
He gives guitar lessons several times a week at primary schools in Dorfen: “We all put so much passion into it - teaching is a lot of fun, by the way.” Anneliese Mayer, local councilor in Taufkirchen, would also like to discuss the topic of “promoting talent” in sports and music See timetable.
“Creativity is another basis for a good education.”
Erding's former second mayor Ludwig Kirmair, a retired secondary school principal, summed up the discussion in a nutshell: The Pisa study shouldn't make you crazy: "You can't draw any conclusions about how good the education system is.
These are snapshots - it's like testing cars and just comparing the tires." In any case, the Free State spends a lot of money on education, added Scharf.
Not least for all-day care, to which there will be a legal entitlement from August 2026.
“The reality of life in families has changed.” Given the shortage of skilled workers, it is therefore natural for the minister to make it easier for women to balance work and family.
“In any case, the Erding district can be seen in all school matters.”