Minister of Justice Participating in 'Constitutional Half-Hour' Discussions at Schools - Justice Minister Hosts "Constitutional Hour" Discussions in Schools
Saxony is set to follow in the footsteps of Bavaria and Thuringia by implementing a new initiative called the "Constitution Quarter Hour" in its schools. This concept, which involves dedicating a brief, regular weekly segment during school lessons to educating students about the constitution and democratic principles, is aimed at strengthening students' understanding of democratic values and legal norms.
The proposal for this quarter-hour session was made by Saxony's Minister of Justice, Constanze Geiert, after a cabinet meeting in Dresden. While specific details for Saxony's implementation are yet to be disclosed, the broader model from Bavaria and Thuringia entails allocating 15 minutes weekly to discuss constitutional, legal, and democratic topics. These sessions are to be part of regular school hours rather than extracurricular time, and age-appropriate content will be used to facilitate understanding of democracy, rule of law, and civic participation.
The initiative aims to systematically inculcate democratic values early in education, drawing from the successful frameworks in Bavaria and Thuringia that have made democracy education a consistent curricular component. Minister of Justice Geiert finds the idea of the "Constitution Quarter Hour" fantastic and has already noticed the importance of discussing constitutional knowledge and the rule of law with young people during two school visits this year.
Conrad Clemens, the Minister of Education in Saxony, will likely be involved in discussions regarding the implementation of the "Constitution Quarter Hour" in Saxon schools. At present, the proposal is not mandatory for Saxon schools, but it is considered beneficial by Minister Geiert. Bavaria has already introduced the "Constitution Quarter Hour" as a new element of political education in the last school year, while Thuringia has started a corresponding pilot project at the beginning of the new school year.
The Saxon Ministry of Justice is intensively searching for ways to establish a corresponding format to the "Constitution Quarter Hour". The proposed project would be discussed with Minister Clemens to ensure a smooth integration into the school curriculum. As the implementation of this initiative in Saxon schools is yet to be confirmed, further details are expected to be announced in due course.
- Saxony's Community Policy, under the guidance of Minister of Justice Constanze Geiert, is planning to adopt the "Constitution Quarter Hour" initiative, similar to Bavaria and Thuringia, to enhance students' understanding of democratic values and legal norms as part of their general education and self-development.
- The proposed employment policy in Saxony's schools, should it be implemented, will see regular school hours being allocated for discussions on constitutional, legal, and democratic topics, inspired by successful models in Bavaria and Thuringia, with a focus on age-appropriate content for civic participation and the rule of law education.
