According to Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), there will definitely be no cuts in religious education at Bavarian primary schools – but rather in English. There was a “very good exchange” in the cabinet and everyone agreed: “Religion will not be cut,” said Söder on Monday at the end of a two-day meeting of the Council of Ministers in Gmund am Tegernsee.
Söder described the public bickering in the coalition at the end of last week as a misunderstanding. There was no argument, but rather “a misunderstanding in communication, regardless of which side”https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/.”That We solved it well.” Education Minister Anna Stolz (Free Voters) “enjoys our great trust,” emphasized Söder.
Last Thursday, Stolz presented her concept for better German and mathematics skills among Bavarian students to the state parliament’s education committee. According to this, there should be one hour more German lessons in grades one to four, and one hour more math in grades one and four. However, the overall number of hours should not increase, schools should be able to reshuffle flexibly.
According to the ministry, Stolz only drew a “red line” in physical education lessons, but not in religious education, which is allotted three hours each in grades three and four – as long as, for example, music and art combined. Whereupon, even after loud intervention from the church, State Chancellor Florian Herrmann (CSU) immediately objected: “With the CSU there will be no cuts in religious education.”
Söder now said that Stolz will soon present a proposal to the cabinet on how the considerations will be implemented. His opinion is relatively clear: if there are changes, it will be in subjects like English. “I think you first have to know German well before you can think about English.” And the subject of religion is not about doing favors to the churches, but rather about educating people about values. And that is very important in elementary school. “That’s why it would be wrong to delete it at this point.”
In the Pisa study published at the beginning of December, 15- and 16-year-olds from Germany achieved the worst results in reading, mathematics and natural sciences that were ever measured as part of this international comparative study. That is why the subjects of German and math should be strengthened in primary schools.