Saying Goodbye to Winter Sports: Sachsen-Anhalt Stops Ski Lessons in Schools for Financial, Logistical Reasons
Ski courses suspension as part of athletic instruction in Saxony-Anhalt - Suspends Skiing Instruction as Part of Athletic Training in Saxony-Anhalt
Hey there! It's a bummer, but it looks like Sachsen-Anhalt is kissing those winter getaways called ski lessons goodbye, as they may no longer be part of physical education. Hang tight while I give you the deets!
A rep from the Ministry of Education in Magdeburg spilled the beans, stating that the decision to axe ski compact courses at schools stems from financial, personnel, and organizational considerations. You might wonder what that means, and I'm here to fill you in. Essentially, ski lessons come with a hefty price tag, as well as a ton of effort, making it tough for every student to join in and requiring loadsa logistics. But don't worry, they'll assess cases of already booked trips on an individual basis. You'll hear more about those decisions soon!
Now, what about these high travel costs that are causing all the chaos? Well, the Ministry revealed that last year, these trips pridefully claimed almost half of the total budget for service trips, amounting to about 201,000 euros. With a grand total of 450,000 euros up for grabs, there are other costs like travel expenses for seconded teaching staff, internship supervision, and the qualification of teaching staff to consider as well.
But here's where things get spicy! The Left parliamentary group has a sneaky suspicion that the high costs of ski lessons are just a cover-up. They argue that the budget for future service trips has bloated to a juicy 700,000 euros for each year. Can you believe it? Y'know, before, only 456,000 euros were floating around, and that'd be more than enough to cover all the ski lessons! So, the Left wants answers from Minister of Education Eva Feußner (CDU) on why she wants to cut ski lessons and what will happen to the extra dough.
In intriguing news, ski lessons aren't entirely banned; they just have to be organized and financed independently during school breaks. Here's the catch, though - the ministry doesn't have numbers on how many schools already offer these courses yet.
Critics of the decision didn't hold back, either. The Young Union sees this move as not only losing an essential supplement to regular school sports for many youngsters in Sachsen-Anhalt, but also a slippery slope towards meddling with schools' autonomy. They believe that whether and how ski lessons are carried out should be determined through a collab between parents, students, and teachers.
Lastly, the SPD, the coalition partner of the CDU, isn't happy, either. Financial policy spokesperson of the SPD faction, Andreas Schmidt, dubbed the decree by Minister of Education Eva Feußner (CDU) a big mistake and demanded its withdrawal. Schmidt feels the decree is thoughtless, unjustified financially, and based on faulty assumptions. He think it's utterly demotivating for school staff.
Stay tuned for updates and lots more info on the future of those fun winter sports lessons in Sachsen-Anhalt! Catch ya later! 👋
Community policy, in this case, has led to the discontinuation of ski lessons in schools, which falls under the category of education and self-development, specifically vocational training. This change is due to financial constraints, as these trips were consuming a significant portion of the education budget, around 201,000 euros last year. The question arises whether the budget for future service trips, now 700,000 euros per year, could be better utilized, such as for vocational training programs or personal-finance and budgeting education, which are essential aspects of learning and self-development.
