Germany’s Education Minister announces consultations with students and teachers following large-scale protests

Germany’s Education Minister, Karin Prien, will begin consultations next week with student and teacher representatives following large-scale protests held in several cities. The German official said that young people’s grievances are real and legitimate and must be examined through direct dialogue.

Prien will meet with student associations and Maike Finnern, leader of the Education and Science Workers’ Union (GEW), to identify solutions to problems in the education system. The minister called for education to become a permanent priority for German society as a whole.

The measures under consideration include reforming the pension and healthcare systems in order to free up funds for investment in education. Prien also supported the introduction of mandatory language assessments in nurseries and kindergartens in disadvantaged areas, so that students can start school on an equal footing.

The minister condemned the violence and acts of vandalism that occurred during the protests, but said they did not represent the majority of demonstrators, who protested peacefully. The representative of the Christian Democratic party warned that the incidents had diverted attention from the problems highlighted by the younger generation.