Education resumes: What's the latest? - School resumes; updates await.
The new school year has begun in Rhineland-Palatinate, with the Education Union GEW expressing concerns about the preparedness of schools for the academic year.
As the schools welcome around 39,900 new first-graders, they continue to offer a diverse range of languages, from Albanian to Hungarian, making it 20 languages offered for heritage language instruction. A notable addition to this list is Macedonian, which will initially be taught in the school supervisory district of Koblenz.
In an effort to equip students with essential digital skills, computer science is being introduced as a compulsory subject at 28 schools in the state, with a full implementation by the 2028/2029 school year. This initiative is expected to be supported by the federal government's funding for the Digital Pact 2.0 for schools, which has 2.5 billion euros from the special fund for infrastructure available in the current legislative period. The states are also expected to contribute an additional 2.5 billion euros for the renewal of the Digital Pact.
Education Minister Sven Teuber (SPD) has stated that there will be no general mobile phone ban at schools, but the use of mobile phones will be regulated appropriately by the schools. The GEW, however, calls for more momentum in expanding multiprofessional teams for schools, including school social workers, psychologists, and inclusion specialists.
To facilitate digital education initiatives, the ICDL Foundation, a global initiative that focuses on improving digital skills, could potentially be relevant to the region. ICDL offers certification programs that cover various aspects of digital competence and are available in many countries, including Germany.
The school vacation calendar for 2025-26 includes specific dates for Rhineland-Palatinate, such as the end of the winter school vacation on January 7th, 2026.
In terms of personnel, there are currently around 44,000 teachers at the more than 1,600 schools in Rhineland-Palatinate. The GEW has warned that without additional personnel reserves, improved working conditions, and targeted relief, the teaching situation will not improve sustainably.
Federal Minister of Education Karin Prien (CDU) expects the negotiations with the states to be completed by autumn, with funds available in 2026. The GEW, however, emphasizes the need for these negotiations to address the concerns of the teaching staff and ensure a sustainable improvement in the teaching situation.
For detailed information on changes within the Rhineland-Palatinate education system, it would be best to consult local educational authorities or news sources specific to the region.
- The GEW advocates for a comprehensive expansion of multiprofessional teams within schools, which should comprise school social workers, psychologists, and inclusion specialists, along with vocational training programs in the field of education and self-development, to enhance students' overall learning experience.
- The ICDL Foundation, which focuses on improving digital skills and offers certification programs in various aspects of digital competence, could be a valuable resource for facilitating digital education initiatives within the Rhineland-Palatinate community, particularly in alignment with the compulsory computer science lessons being introduced at many schools.
