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▷ Lower Saxony’s minister of education vehemently defends schools, some of which are open

25.01.2021 – 01:00

New Osnabrück newspaper

Osnabrück (ots)

Lower Saxony’s minister of education vehemently defends schools, some of which are open

Grant Hendrik Tonne (SPD): “Even if there is a headwind, I will work to ensure that education and child welfare are not forgotten in the pandemic” – a plea for more home offices

Hanover. Lower Saxony’s education minister Grant Hendrik Tonne goes on the offensive and defends Lower Saxony’s special approach to schools against criticism. “I am firmly convinced of the way to hold up the schools in Lower Saxony a little. Especially for elementary school students who first learn to read, write and arithmetic, pure distance teaching is not possible in the long term,” said the SPD politician in the “New Osnabrücker Zeitung “(NOZ) and added:” So even in the face of headwinds I will work to ensure that education and child welfare are not forgotten even in the pandemic. ” Education and protection against infection should not be played off against each other. “If the social contacts are reduced significantly, then schools play another important role in addition to the educational mandate: namely to offer an indispensable minimum level of contact for children and young people, even if it is only at a distance,” emphasized the state minister.

Contrary to the recommendation of the federal government to close all schools completely, Lower Saxony is leaving the elementary and special needs schools partially open and also offering face-to-face lessons for final classes. In both cases, however, the compulsory attendance is lifted, so that the parents can decide whether they want to send their children to school in “scenario B” or let them learn entirely from a distance. A model that has been criticized in recent days, especially by teachers and education associations.

School Minister Tonne, however, declared that he did not want to deviate from it. After all, the children have been home for weeks. “That also does something to the personality and social behavior of many children when there is no contact with peers or other people outside of one’s own family for such a long period of time. That must be kept in mind. Our children and young people are not just little adults.” explained the father of four. Young people graduating this year would also have a right to a fair examination. This also means that they can prepare with their teachers in class.

In any case, he misses out on the children and young people. “I advocate that in the future the preparatory expert hearings also include voices that supplement the expert judgment of the virologists with a strong voice, as is the case with children and adolescents in the pandemic,” the minister demands. The considerable burden for children and families has not yet been sufficiently taken into account. The 44-year-old also recalled that children and young people, unlike others, have made “a significant contribution to the shutdown” for weeks. “75 percent of the schoolchildren study at home and are therefore in the home office – that is a remarkable rate. Day care center, school and families have delivered, now it’s others too,” says the Minister of Education.

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Original content from: Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, transmitted by news aktuell

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