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Homeschooling has increased sixfold in Bern. According to SRF research, the authorities are now concerned about the quality of education – and are ordering inspections.
Bern’s homeschooling regulations are liberal compared to other cantons. In the past ten years, the number of students who are being taught at home has therefore risen from 166 to 934 – applications for homeschooling have particularly increased during the pandemic years.
SRF research is now showing that the canton of Bern is reacting to the sharp increase. “During the pandemic, parents got the feeling that distance learning was very easy,” says Erwin Sommer, head of the kindergarten and elementary school office. But back then, the schools would have planned the lessons for them – in contrast to the usual homeschooling.
Stricter requirements
The Bern education department now wants to ensure the quality of teaching for all children who are homeschooled in the canton – with stricter requirements and controls. Detailed annual, semester and quarterly plans must now be submitted for applications for homeschooling. The screws are also being tightened by the pedagogically trained people who are already instructing the parents in homeschooling today. These must now be familiar with Syllabus 21. “The goal is that the children can be integrated back into elementary school at any time,” says the head of department, Erwin Sommer.
Legend:
Lessons at home are more strictly controlled in the canton of Bern.
key stone
For this purpose, the learning progress must be documented in binding reports. And these reports do not simply remain a paper tiger, but are controlled by the education administration. The Bern education department has created two additional jobs for this purpose.
Bad air at the education department
However, the new, stricter requirements make those affected feel controlled and bullied. The problems are also known to the “Education at Home Bern” association. However, neither the association nor the contacted homeschooling families want to take a public position. Because on Thursday evening there will be a meeting at the Bern Education Directorate – and the association hopes that a solution can be found behind the scenes and in dialogue to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
The canton could have been for longer act
School and teaching researcher Tina Hascher from the University of Bern is surprised that the canton hasn’t tightened the screws on homeschooling for a long time: “The canton of Bern does what it can and must do. Namely to ensure the quality.» The instruments for this have long been available. For the educational researcher, one thing is clear: If parents cannot ensure the quality of education in home schooling, then their children have to go back to school.
Quality monitoring is required.
The Education Directorate points out that in certain cases, permits for homeschooling have already been withdrawn in the past. With the two additional positions in the canton administration, the education department is confident that it will be able to better monitor and guarantee the quality of education in homeschooling in the future.