- Educational institution advocates for heightened focus on democratic teachings within classrooms.
At the onset of the new academic term in Baden-Württemberg, the Education and Science Union (GEW) is advocating for a stronger emphasis on education promoting democracy within schools. As per Monika Stein, union leader, speaking in Stuttgart, "Democracy education seriously needs to be one of our top priorities." The recent election outcomes in Saxony and Thuringia underscore the grave danger facing democracy. "I trust and anticipate that this past weekend has managed to awaken the few stragglers and made it evident that we require an increased investment in democratic education," Stein added.
The current school system allots insufficient time to democratic education, Stein lamented. With the resumption of G9 in gymnasiums, there are plans to concentrate on this area. However, Stein highlighted the need for such focus across all types of schools. "Democracy education should play a pivotal role, from kindergarten to primary education, and beyond, and must also be accompanied by adequate resources," she pointed out.
Stein also urged for more understanding about the social media platform TikTok among teachers. Previously, she had suggested that the Ministry of Education should present teachers with a concise overview of the situation on the platform. Teachers struggle already with their regular duties and cannot afford to tackle the complexities of the platform in addition. The platform contains several challenges, some of which pose health risks, and there's also a substantial amount of misinformation present.
The Education and Science Union (GEW) is advocating for the allocation of more resources towards democratic education in all types of schools, including kindergarten and beyond. Stein also emphasized the importance of teachers gaining a better understanding of TikTok, as it contains several challenges and misinformation.
