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Education Journalism Agency - 6th January
On the International Day of Education, the Citizens' Council for Education and Learning unveiled a comprehensive set of proposals aimed at enhancing Germany's education system and promoting equal opportunities. The collective recommendations, resulting from discussions on various aspects, from early childhood education to vocational training, aim to facilitate lasting changes within the education system.
The cornerstone of this achievement is the collective effort of over 700 citizens who took part in the Citizens' Council for Education and Learning. This ambitious program covers everything from homework and co-determination to individual learning and children's rights.
The council members met several times, engaging in extensive debates, to decide upon the most widely supported ideas. Despite some disagreements over the appropriate level of guidelines in education, the council eventually reached consensus on 19 recommendations.
Notable proposals include the introduction of grades only from the ninth grade, replaced by individual learning feedback for lower classes, garnering 77% of votes. Additionally, the removal of traditional homework in favor of 'consolidation hours' received 71% approval. These changes aim to empower students, promote equal opportunities, and encourage learning autonomy.
For early childhood education, the participants suggested increasing kindergarten co-determination and implementing a two-year kindergarten obligation. This affirms the importance of good language skills as the foundation for social participation and a successful educational trajectory.
Council members also offered recommendations regarding vocational training. They advocated for annual career orientation weeks for all young people and improved employment prospects for youth without a school-leaving certificate.
Sabirya Ekinci, a tram driver from Hanover with four years of involvement in the council, takes pride in their collective achievement: "Although discussions could be challenging, we have succeeded in formulating something we can submit with a clear conscience."
Unlike many other citizens' councils, the Citizens' Council for Education and Learning was not commissioned by a political body. Instead, it was formed by the independent, non-profit Montag Foundation Denkwerkstatt in Bonn. Originally planned for three years, it was extended by two more years in late 2023, as Dr. Karl-Heinz Imhäuser, the foundation's board member and initiative developer, acknowledged that the need for targeted recommendations demands considerable time due to the lack of accountability between the federal government, the states, and the municipalities.
www.buergerrat-bildung-lernen.de.
The council consists of citizens from across Germany, representing a diverse cross-section of the population. In November 2024, around 120 council members, including approximately 20 students from the Youth Council, will make the final decisions concerning the recommendations. As a testament to the youth's contributions, the demand for "individual and life-related learning" in schools received strong support, with 97% agreement.
Council spokesperson Felix Voss, a student from Leipzig and one of the council's founding members, expressed confidence that they will be taken seriously. The council plans to advance discussions at various levels, starting by presenting their recommendations to the ministries of culture and education in the coming weeks. A final conference of the Citizens' Council on Education and Learning is scheduled for late 2025, with the primary goal of fostering constructive exchange and initiating change.
Sabine Milowan, the project leader and director of the Montag Foundation Denkwerkstatt, praises the council as a contribution to a vibrant democracy in Germany. "Despite differing opinions and backgrounds, discussions were always respectful," she states. "Now, it is up to politics to take up these valuable impulses."
More information about the Citizens' Council for Education and Learning can be found at www.buergerrat-bildung-lernen.de.
Press inquiries can be directed to:
Sabine MilowanDirector, Montag Foundation DenkwerkstattPress spokespersonTelephone +49 (0) 228 [email protected]
Andrej PriboschekMobile 0175/43 20 [email protected]
Original content by: Citizens' Council on Education and Learning, transmitted via news aktuellSource: ots
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- The comprehensive set of proposals by the Citizens' Council for Education and Learning, aiming to enhance Germany's education system through discussions on various aspects, falls under the category of education-and-self-development, policy-and-legislation, and general-news.
- The Citizens' Council for Education and Learning, an independent, non-profit initiative, has shared its proposals for education reform with the ministries of culture and education, intersectioning education-and-self-development, policy-and-legislation, and politics.
