Drowning in Delay: Over 7,000 Swimming Vouchers in Saxony-Anhalt Await Redemption
Most swimming discount vouchers remain unredeemed as of current date. - Least Swimming Tickets Used Yet
Devised during the throes of COVID-19, around 8,000 vouchers were issued in Saxony-Anhalt to enable children to make up for missed swimming lessons. Yet, a meager fraction of these have been utilized, with only 1,037 vouchers redeemed by April this year.
The Ministry of Education is now expanding the initial initiative, prolonging its expiration date until November 30, 2026, and issuing further vouchers.
Hurdles in wave-making a splash
According to the state school office spokesperson, "There appears to be a considerable desire among parents to utilize these vouchers. Nevertheless, the redeployment of these vouchers has been hampered primarily due to the lack of available pool slots across various regions, leaving children on ballooning waiting lists for swimming opportunities."
Hence, the extended vouchers are specifically intended for children who are yet to master swimming or the ones with nascent swimming skills—evaluated by local swimming instructors. The vouchers carry a value of up to €150 and can only be redeemed with swimming course providers authorized under the German Swimming Examination Regulations.
Swimming lessons: Learning to float among schoolwork
Besides the pandemic-induced disruptions, schools find it challenging to instill the essential swimming skills within the standard curriculum, as many children joining school come with minimal swimming experience.
The state school office spokesperson revealed that specific statistics on the distribution of vouchers across the state are unavailable, citing: "From experience, vouchers tend to be utilized more in larger cities mainly because of the accessibility and bolstered availability of swimming pools. Here, free pool slots are crucial, as well as the emergence of qualified course providers where the vouchers can be redeemed and assessments administered."
The community policy in Saxony-Anhalt, intended for promoting education and self-development, includes vocational training such as vocational swimming courses through the redemption of swimming vouchers. Despite the extension of the voucher program, the redeployment is challenging due to the scarcity of available pool slots and qualified providers in various regions. The ultimate goal is to provide swimming courses to children with limited swimming skills, who struggle to master this essential life skill.
