School starts again with daily Covid tests and mandatory attendance

After the end of the Christmas holidays, classes in Berlin's schools start again today (Jan. 3, 2022).

Attendance is mandatory - all students must show up at school. According to the Senate Department for Education, a switch to digital learning at home is not planned for the time being. Education Senator Astrid-Sabine Busse had stated on Thursday (Dec. 30, 2021) that she was relying on compulsory attendance for as long as possible and was convinced that classes taught in person have clear advantages compared to alternating between remote and on-site learning.

Daily Covid tests during the first week

During the first week of classes, however, daily Coronavirus tests are mandatory for students - not least because of the Omicron variant, which has also become more widespread in Berlin. According to the education administration, the required number of self-tests will be made available. However, Education Senator Busse announced, that from the second week onwards, there would be only three Covid tests per week, as before.

Comparatively short Christmas holidays

The State Parents' Committee is skeptical about the start of school after the Christmas vacations and had issued a statement in favor of suspending compulsory attendance and expanding daily testing to more than one week. The German Education Union (GEW) in Berlin also spoke out in favor of daily testing, but against the abolition of compulsory attendance. This year, the Christmas school holidays were comparatively short: The last day of classes in Berlin was December 22.