German Education Minister Advocates for Crisis Preparedness in Schools

In Bettina Stark-Watzinger’s view, it is schools' responsibility to ready the youth for potential warfare situations. "The entire society needs to be thoroughly prepped for crises ranging from pandemics and natural disasters to war," the FDP politician conveyed to the Funke media group publications on Saturday. She supports the idea of conducting civil defense drills in schools, highlighting that in countries like the UK, such practices are integrated into the daily school routine, suggesting there’s much to learn from their approach. Stark-Watzinger emphasized that the aim is to boost students' resilience.

Stark-Watzinger further suggests increasing the frequency of Bundeswehr officers' visits to educational institutions. "I deem it crucial for young officers to engage with students, discussing the Bundeswehr's role in our nation’s security," she told the Funke media group, expressing bafflement over the resistance to this proposal.

She believes it's essential for the youth to be informed about the threats to freedom and how to navigate perils. This education doesn’t necessarily need to be a separate subject, but rather embedded content that's age-appropriate, aimed at addressing risks, and managing fears and anxieties.

Furthermore, the Minister of Education opposes the reinstatement of compulsory military service. She argues that the current debate around universal civil service is misplaced. The suspension of compulsory military service was primarily due to constitutional discordance, and she stresses the importance of not losing focus from the primary objective: ensuring the Bundeswehr is adequately equipped for defense.