Culture ministers unveil findings following summit

Educational Institutions Reopen: Students Anticipate Returning to Classes After Lockdown - Culture ministers unveil findings following summit

This Friday, the Cultural Ministers of the various states will be presenting the outcome of their two-day meeting in Saarlouis, Saarland starting at 13:30. A significant topic on the agenda is the continuation of the Digital Pact School, a massive funding program worth billions for the digitalization of educational institutions. The states have been seeking clarity about the Federal Government's plans for financing the next version of this program, called Digital Pact 2.0, for many months now.

Under the initial Digital Pact, the Federal Government contributed a massive 6.5 billion Euros, covering 90% of the expenses for digitalizing schools, including the purchase of laptops and digital boards. The remaining 10% was split between the states and municipalities. However, the government now plans to have a 50/50 funding split, which might put considerable strain on the states, according to the chairperson of the Cultural Ministers' Conference, Saarland's Education Minister Christine Streichert-Clivot (SPD).

Additionally, during the education and research ministers' conference while Saarland holds the chairmanship, discussions will take place on how to attract more teachers through innovative recruitment methods. Also on the table is a joint strategy between the Federal and State Governments concerning the internationalization of German universities.

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1. The outcomes of the Cultural Ministers' meeting in Saarlouis, Germany, will include discussions on the continuation of the Digital Pact School, a program aimed at digitizing schools nationwide.
2. As part of the Digital Pact 2.0, the Federal Government plans to shift funding responsibilities for digitalizing schools to a 50/50 split between the Federal and State Governments, potentially causing financial strain for some states.
3. Saarland's Education Minister, Christine Streichert-Clivot, expressed concerns about the implications of the new funding split, stating that it may negatively impact the digitization efforts in certain educational institutions.
4. To address the shortage of teachers in schools, the states will be discussing innovative recruitment strategies during the education and research ministers' conference which is being chaired by Saarland during its tenure.

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