A burgeoning political dispute is erupting in Germany over the proposed integration of crisis preparedness training into the national school curriculum. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU has championed the initiative, suggesting dedicated double-period lessons for older students focused on threat scenarios and protective measures, arguing that children can be crucial conduits of information within their families.
His proposal, however, has been met with sharp criticism from state education ministers, who accuse Dobrindt of attempting to offload responsibility onto already overburdened teachers and schools. Simone Oldenburg, President of the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Education Minister, has strongly condemned the move, stating that the federal government has a clear responsibility to formulate a comprehensive strategy for civil defense, rather than relying on schools as a “fall-back solution.
Oldenburg’s remarks highlighted a fundamental disagreement about the role of education, suggesting Dobrindt’s understanding of both the function of schools and the workload of educators is flawed. She argued that simply demanding dedicated classroom hours is a simplistic and ultimately irresponsible approach to a complex issue. Critically, she emphasized that precedence should be given to educating adults first.
While the examination of conflicts and their consequences is currently incorporated into subjects like politics and history, Oldenburg insists this is not a novel requirement. She stressed the necessity of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance providing age-appropriate teaching materials to enable educators to effectively address the subject. The current proposal risks being perceived as a politically motivated attempt to deflect attention from the federal government’s broader civil defense strategy, with critics fearing it could dilute the educational focus and create unnecessary pressure on schools. The debate underscores the ongoing tension between federal policy initiatives and the autonomy of state-level education systems in Germany.