Pupils protest: Does this threaten the end of the Elsa Brandström School?

Pupils protest: Does this threaten the end of the Elsa Brandström School?

Yesterday, students from the Elsa Brandström School from Homberg gathered in front of the Melsung cultural factory to protest against the impending closure of their facility. On the occasion of a district meeting in which the new school development plan was presented, the young people wanted to draw attention to the dangers that have been connected to the planned closure of several schools in the coming years.

The school development plan provides to close the Elsa Brandström School as well as the elementary school for Rengshausen and the Brüder-Grimm School Allendorf by 2029. During the protest, the students held up posters on which the school was called, with slogans like "We are more than numbers!" And "they take our second home". These clear messages should show the urgency of the situation to the district council.

School infrastructure and needs analysis

The Elsa Brandström School, which specializes in learning, could be replaced by other school locations in Treysa and Borken, according to the new school development plan. Teacher Fabian Jüngest, who praised the commitment of his students, pointed out that many parents of the students are unable to actively support them, which makes the situation more difficult. In addition, the school development plan is based on outdated number of students that do not take into account the current needs.

Due to another appointment, the school management could not take part in the protest. In the meantime, the headmistress received recognition in Wiesbaden for the excellent work of her school. These circumstances illustrate the challenges with which the Elsa Brandström School is faced. District Administrator Winfried Becker said that financial restrictions and the new entitlement to all -day care required considerable investments on the part of the district, whereby forecast costs of up to 21 million euros were already mentioned.

The closure of schools in the Schwalm-Eder district is not only skeptical, but also by the parents who submit a petition for the preservation of the schools. Above all, the Brüder-Grimm School Allendorf, which has been a branch for years and teaches only a limited number of students there, is under discussion. In the current constellation, two classes are being taught across the year, which increasingly makes the learning situation increasingly difficult. The financial and human resources are at best limited, so that there is no specialist teachers and other necessary structures at the school.

Number of students and forecasts

District Administrator Becker said that the forecasts for school numbers play a key role in the considerations of school closings. The possible move of students from Rengshausen to school locations in Remsfeld and Treysa would create additional challenges, since many children already have to travel their way by bus. These restructuring could also affect the availability of resources and the quality of teaching.

The drastic step of closing several schools is part of a larger plan that deals with the framework of school education in the district. The goal of offering all municipalities is also pursued. However, the school tatts are often tense, and the responsibility for the financing of the often repressed school expenses falls on the municipalities that are already under financial pressure. The protests of the Elsa Brandström School's students are a clear sign that these developments have to be taken seriously.

The discussion about the school development plan continues in December, but the concerns of the students, parents and teachers are still being heard loudly in order to find a sustainable solution for education in the district. In order to ensure educational needs, sustainable plans must be created that take into account both the needs of the students and the economic conditions of the region. This is the key to ensuring future -oriented schooling for all children in the region.

For more information about this significant protest and the current developments, a detailed report is available www.hna.de available.