Transforming the educational system. - The coalition reaches consensus on education overhaul.
Green-Black coalition leaders have reached an accord on revamping the education system. Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) disclosed this in Stuttgart on Tuesday. The governing body suggests the changes will advance the educational landscape.
The coalition aspires to annul the Werkrealschule certificate, instigating Werkrealschulen's merger with Realschulen to form Verbundrealschulen. This information comes from a document obtained by Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Media outlets had already hinted at this agreement. In 2021, there were still 229 public Hauptschulen and Werkrealschulen in Baden-Württemberg, compared to 583 five years ago. The coalition intends to simplify the school system by discarding this qualification and establishing school alliances.
The Werkrealschule certificate is a secondary school certificate, comparable to the Realschule certificate. It's obtainable at Werkrealschulen following the tenth grade. Furthermore, pupils enrolled in Werkrealschulen can opt to obtain the Hauptschulabschluss after either year 9 or 10.
G9 will be reintroduced for the 2025/2026 school year. According to the agreement, it will start with years five and six. Grammar schools will also have the choice of offering G8 courses.
The Green-Black coalition has also settled on the finer points of reinstating the nine-year Gymnasium. As per the agreement, G9 will resume for the 2025/2026 academic year, commencing with grades five and six. Gymnasiums will also have the opportunity to offer G8 courses.
The coalition also agreed to make elementary school recommendations more unequivocal. Moving forward, the recommendation should involve three components: teacher recommendation, performance test, and parents' wishes. If two out of three consensuses mark approval, this should be the deciding factor. In instances where parents desire their child to attend grammar school, the child would take another test.
The coalition partners consent to the launch of more all-day elementary schools, especially in underserved areas. The Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs is to devise a strategy to extend compulsory all-day education. Elementary schools in marginalized districts become compulsory all-day schools. Community schools will receive extra hours of coaching while communities and secondary schools gain a strong vocational orientation and practical life profile.
Kretschmann refrained from commenting on the nitty-gritty during Tuesday's announcement. Parliamentary groups must be briefed first. While the agreement exceeded his expectations, he anticipates negotiations with the SPD and FDP to commence Thursday in Bebenhausen near Tübingen.
If the SPD and FDP put forth proposals that satisfy the CDU and Greens, the coalition would consider them. However, Kretschmann will not conduct budget discussions with opposition on Thursday. "Anyone can put forth proposals that cost money. That's not forbidden. But it's the responsibility of the coalition to finance them," he declared. If the negotiations fail, the coalition will execute their proposals.
This is the second Green-Black partnership in the education arena, with the first occurring a week ago. The Green-Black coalition previously vowed in the coalition agreement not to discuss school structure changes. Last Monday, the Green-Black coalition unveiled an agreement in the domain of pre-school learning and published a program promoting language proficiency in kindergartens and elementary schools.
The union plans to improve students' language abilities at a youthful age. One proposal involves all students attending four hours of mandatory language support weekly before commencing elementary school, provided they require assistance, identified during the school intake test. If students still can't speak German proficiently, they will participate in junior classes from 2026/2027.
The coalition estimates the program will cost €100 million yearly in the upcoming double budget. It will be implemented gradually over the coming years. According to the model, the initial measures are intended for the forthcoming academic year. The ultimate expansion is slated for 2028/2029.
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Source: www.stern.de
