The AfD’s proposals to relax mandatory schooling requirements and allow for home instruction are facing significant criticism. Elke Hannack, Deputy Chairwoman of the DGB, told the “Rheinische Post” (Friday) that education is inherently a social process. She argued that removing the compulsory schooling mandate would take away children’s right to a quality education. In her view, values such as diversity, democracy, responsibility, respect, and social cohesion can only be experienced and developed within shared learning environments. Achieving this requires qualified professionals and state supervision; otherwise, education becomes dependent on chance, negatively affecting children and young people.
Educational expert Axel Plünnecke of the Institute of the German Economy (IW) in Cologne suggested that rather than easing restrictions, the focus should be on improving educational opportunities by expanding and enhancing the support infrastructure available at kindergartens and schools. He recommended broadening language and reading support within these institutions, while also providing teachers with additional aid in individually supporting children and teenagers through multiprofessional staff in areas such as school social work and school psychology. Plünnecke added that abolishing attendance requirements for schools would undermine these necessary support measures and likely exacerbate problems related to educational disadvantage.
