Saxony in physical education lessons: Get rid of the swimming crisis and lack of hours!

Saxony in physical education lessons: Get rid of the swimming crisis and lack of hours!

In Saxony, the sporting conditions in schools are currently under observation, and this has given the professor of sports didactics and movement education, Heike Tiemann, reason to share her assessments. Tiemann, who teaches at the sports science faculty at the University of Leipzig, emphasizes that physical education in Saxony cannot keep up with the level of other federal states.

Physical education in Saxony stipulates that students in grades one to three and five and six each have three hours of sport per week. After fourth grade and from seventh to tenth grade, this is reduced to two hours per week. In comparison, many other federal states in Germany have three hours of physical education classes, which makes it even more difficult to achieve the desired goals. “Achieving the goals of physical education lessons is hardly possible in just three hours,” emphasizes Tiemann.

Swimming lessons in criticism

Another concern is the decline in students considered capable of swimming. Swimming lessons took place in the fourth grade after reunification, with around 90 percent of the students able to complete the lessons successfully. However, this number fell after swimming lessons were moved to the third grade level and is now only around 80 percent. Swimming lessons are currently offered in the second grade, but only around 60 percent of the students complete them with the rating “swimable”. This raises questions about the effectiveness of current teaching methods and the value of swimming lessons in primary schools.

“The level and results are alarming,” notes Tiemann, pointing to the declining percentage of children who can swim. At a time when water safety is of great importance, this development could have far-reaching consequences.

International comparisons and approaches

Tiemann also looks beyond German borders and points to Australia as a role model for diversity and inclusion in physical education. The downunder nation has established innovative teaching concepts that systematically address these topics. In countries like Iceland, exercise is not just limited to physical education classes, but is much more integrated into the overall school concept, so that there is a broader basis for physical activity and health promotion.

Integrating exercise into everyday school life could be a key to strengthening students' health education and motor skills. These approaches present an opportunity to improve physical education in Germany and adapt it to international standards.

Another central topic that Tiemann addresses is the training of future sports teachers. In general, there is a decline in the number of student teachers choosing sport in Germany. However, Leipzig is an exception: “We can hardly save ourselves from applicants,” says Tiemann. This is not only due to the attractiveness of the city, but also to the modern education, which offers students concepts in the areas of diversity, digitalization and democracy education. A fresh approach that can keep up with the demands of today's education system.

Overall, it is clear that physical education in Saxony is facing serious challenges. A renewed evaluation of the curricula and a greater integration of exercise into education are urgently needed in order to increase the quality of physical education and to better prepare students. The developments in physical education in Saxony are certainly a topic that requires both discussions and urgent reforms in order to sustainably promote the health and well-being of young people. For more detailed insights into the topic, see the report on ahoi-leipzig.de.