Top teacher calls for clear guidelines for political education
Published: Sunday, Jul 21st 2024, 03:50
Updated At: Sunday, Jul 21st 2024, 04:00
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Switzerland's top teacher has called for clear guidelines for schools with regard to crises and wars in the world. Dagmar Rösler said that schools have a duty to classify global political events. However, this requires the support of politicians.
Although Curriculum 21 provides guidelines, it must be more clearly defined what the school is responsible for and what it is not, said Rösler, Central President of the Swiss Teachers' Association (LCH), in an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
She called for a strong commitment from politicians to enable schools to address such issues with pupils. "And that schools, including teachers, are supported and protected in this," said Rösler.
"Giving confidence"
Schools run the risk of no longer addressing sensitive topics because they are accused of indoctrination. Children are interested and thirsty for knowledge. "However, schools must also be trusted to look at these topics with the children in a neutral and value-free way," said the head teacher.
Political education must be strengthened in all areas of the education system and better anchored in the curriculum. Political education in the broadest sense must be taught as early as elementary school and kindergarten, said Rösler.
In-depth knowledge
In an interview published the previous day, National Council President Eric Nussbaumer (SP/BL) also called for political education - both in and outside of school - to be strengthened. The Federal Council had done too little in this respect, he said in the "Schweiz am Wochenende" newspaper on Saturday.
The European politician was primarily concerned with an understanding of Europe. Switzerland believes that "with campaigns and pros and cons, we can create enough understanding for the European political processes", said the President of the National Council. After a referendum campaign, everything would be over again.
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