Parents in Baden-Württemberg Aren't Backing Down: Push for Nine-Year Gymnasium
Anja Plesch-Krubner, one of the driving forces behind a popular petition, isn't giving up until a suitable plan is on the table for a return to the nine-year Gymnasium in Baden-Württemberg. "We won't ease off until we've got something acceptable," she said, stressing their responsibility to their supporters. If the state government takes too long or fails to meet their demands, they'll ramp up the pressure again, possibly initiating a referendum if necessary.
The petitioners aim to reinstate the nine-year Gymnasium through a referendum petition, having collected over 100,000 signatures and submitted them to the state parliament. The parliament is expected to address the issue next year, if they reject the initiative's draft bill, the petitioners can then apply for a referendum. This time, they'd need signatures from a tenth of the eligible voters, which translates to around 770,000 signatures. Should they succeed, a referendum could ultimately decide the Gymnasium's duration.
Following a state government-convened citizens' forum recommending a modernized return to the nine-year Gymnasium, the state announced on Tuesday that it's open to a "new G9" and is initiating a process to create such a new G8/G9 model. Minister President Winfried Kretschmann of the Greens stated, "We won't be making any hasty decisions or simply returning to the '90s G9. We'll work on a solution that meets our time's needs and follows the Citizens' Forum recommendations."
However, Kretschmann offered no hope for a swift, nationwide rollout. He found it difficult to imagine the transition to a nine-year Gymnasium would be possible for the coming school year. The parents' initiative, on the other hand, advocates for an immediate transition, suggesting the state could utilize current plans of G9 model schools until a modernized concept was developed.
Plesch-Krubner emphasized the campaigners' openness to discussions, indicating willingness to consider pedagogical concepts for modernizing the Gymnasium. Kretschmann also expressed his intention to discuss with the initiators.
The eight-year Gymnasium is currently the standard in Baden-Württemberg. The nine-year model is only offered as a pilot at 44 state schools and some private institutions. Parents have advocated for resuming G9, citing children's excessive pressure to perform and limited free time due to shorter school hours.
Additional Insights
The current stance and plans for reintroducing a nine-year Gymnasium (G9) in Baden-Württemberg are as follows:
- Citizens' Forum and State Government Response: A citizens' forum convened by the state government also advocated for a return to the nine-year Gymnasium. In response, the Baden-Württemberg state government launched a major education reform on July 23, 2024 [1]. This suggests that the state government is actively considering and implementing changes in the education system, potentially including the reintroduction of the G9 system.
- Parental Initiative: While specific details about parental initiatives are not provided in the search results, the fact that a citizens' forum was convened indicates that there was likely significant public interest and potentially parental involvement in advocating for changes in the education system.
- Education Reform: The education reform initiated by the state government on July 23, 2024, indicates a broader effort to improve and modernize the education system. This reform could potentially include elements of the G9 system, although specific details about its reintroduction are not explicitly mentioned.
In summary, while there's no direct confirmation of the reintroduction of the G9 system in the provided search results, the state government's recent education reform efforts and the involvement of a citizens' forum suggest that there's ongoing consideration and potential implementation of significant changes to the education system in Baden-Württemberg.
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