Schwerin (dpa/mv) – Swimming lessons in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania should become more reliable and effective with more one-week compact courses, additional staff and additional summer courses. After several months of talks, the government and opposition agreed on a new teaching concept, which is to be adopted in the state parliament in June. “Our common concern is that soon every child will leave primary school as a safe swimmer,” said Minister of Education Simone Oldenburg (left) on Tuesday in Schwerin.
Although this goal is anchored in the curriculum, implementation fails in many places because there are no swimming pools or swimming instructors. According to Oldenburg, about a third of children in the Northeast do not have the necessary swimming skills when they leave elementary school after grade four. The corona-related contact restrictions in the past two years have further aggravated the situation.