Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia are introducing a mask requirement in schools after the summer vacation. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, lessons are already underway – wearing the mask should also be compulsory there. Support comes from the federal government.
Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia are the first federal states to introduce a mask requirement for students, teachers and school employees due to the corona pandemic. In Hamburg, however, primary school students are exempt from this. Secondary school students are allowed to take off the masks during class. In North Rhine-Westphalia the regulations are stricter.
The school authorities in Hamburg justified their plans to exempt primary school students from the rule with the fact that Covid-19 occurs very rarely in this age group and the children are not yet able to use the masks properly. "With our specifications, we give the schools clear rules for safe and good school and teaching operations," said School Senator Ties Rabe.
Further restrictions threatened with increasing numbers
His authority coordinated with experts and carefully weighed the right to comprehensive health protection against the right of students to a good education. In addition to the mask requirement, according to the authorities at the schools, students and employees must always keep the minimum distance. This does not apply to pupils in their class during lessons.
This means that learning in the class community is possible again for the first time, it said. In the ARD morning magazine, Rabe did not rule out that face-to-face teaching would have to be restricted again if the number of corona infections increased.
Mask requirement in North Rhine-Westphalia also for elementary school students
North Rhine-Westphalia also starts the new school year with a mask requirement. This also applies to primary school students, but not during class. Girls and boys from the 5th grade must also wear the mouth and nose protection during lessons, explained the NRW Ministry of Education. This rule initially applies until August 31. The summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia end on August 11th.
The aim is for all classes to be taught face-to-face, according to the ministry. In the event of a corona infection, contacts must be traceable. Until the autumn holidays, school employees could have themselves tested free of charge and voluntarily every 14 days. The federal, state and local governments also provided money to equip teachers and students in need with digital devices. If there are infections at a school, compulsory lessons take place at a distance, it said.
The federal government welcomes the plans
The federal government supports the decision. "Such a mask requirement sounds like a reasonable consideration," said the deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. However, this must be embedded in an overall concept and the responsibility for this lies with the federal states.
The return to normal school operations is "a demanding task" against the background of the increased number of infections. The federal government assumes that the federal states will fulfill their responsibility and present necessary and suitable concepts in their areas of responsibility and support the schools in their implementation.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is already teaching
As the first federal state started Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania today into the new school year. A mask requirement should also apply there in the future – but only outside of class. Education Minister Bettina Martin said in the RBB that she wanted to submit a corresponding proposal to the cabinet on Tuesday. So far, teachers and students have not had to wear mouth and nose protection. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania still has the lowest number of infections and it should stay that way. "I think it’s good if we play it safe there."
As the second federal state, Hamburg will start teaching again on Thursday after the summer vacation – Berlin, Brandenburg, Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia will follow next week. Several federal states such as Berlin, Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg had already announced that they would introduce compulsory masks in school buildings. However, it should not apply in class. Also Federal Minister of Education Anja Karliczek had spoken out in favor of compulsory masks in school buildings.
Criticism from the Federal Parents’ Council
Criticism of the return to regular operation in schools came again from the Federal Parents’ Council. His chairman Stephan Wassmuth said on Deutschlandfunk that despite all the parents’ joy at starting school, they also had a big stomachache. Curricula should have been detoxified and more alternative rooms should have been sought. In many places there was also a lack of digital devices, says Wassmuth.
The Federal Schoolchildren’s Conference also sharply criticized the mask requirement in class. This was "an imposition in view of the current temperatures," explained the student representatives. In many places, air conditioning is lacking or inadequate, and windows in many rooms cannot be opened.