Mandate for Swimming Lessons in Elementary Schools Sought Due to Increased Drowning Incidents by the Left - Mandatory Swimming Lessons Proposed in Primary Schools due to Bath Deaths by the Political Left
In a recent statement to Stern, Jan van Aken, the leader of the Left Party, expressed concern over the closure of swimming pools in Germany and its impact on children's ability to learn to swim. Van Aken considers swimming a vital necessity and a basic right, not a hobby.
Van Aken argues that the provision and maintenance of swimming pools should be a state duty, not a voluntary act. As part of the Left Party's plan, the entrance fee to public swimming pools should be affordable for all children and young people, and the party is advocating for an investment program of one billion euros per year for swimming pools in the coming years.
The Left Party's plan aims to address the rising number of drowning deaths in Germany, which, according to the German Life Saving Association, reached 411 in 2024, an increase of 31 from the previous year. Most of these accidents occurred outside of supervised bathing areas, such as lakes and rivers.
To combat this, the Left Party is proposing a comprehensive action plan for mandatory swimming lessons in German elementary schools. The objective is to reduce drowning incidents by increasing children's water safety skills and awareness.
The proposed action plan includes drafting legislation to make swimming lessons a mandatory part of the elementary school curriculum, ensuring schools have access to swimming pools, providing training for teachers and instructors, developing an age-appropriate curriculum, launching public awareness campaigns, and collecting data to monitor and evaluate the program's effectiveness.
The plan also emphasizes the need for sufficient water time, teaching staff, and functional pools at every elementary school. The Left Party is calling for more staff in swimming pools and has suggested an entrance fee of one euro as affordable for most people.
The Left Party's plan introduces a "swimming pool euro" for children and young people to make swimming accessible regardless of parents' financial situation. The party's action plan, to be presented by Jan van Aken on Monday, is a significant step towards ensuring that every child in Germany has the opportunity to learn to swim and stay safe around water.
[1] Source: German Life Saving Association (DLRG) data for 2024.
- Jan van Aken, the leader of the Left Party, is advocating for an investment program of one billion euros per year for swimming pools, with the goal of making swimming lessons a mandatory part of the elementary school curriculum.
- The Left Party's plan aims to increase children's water safety skills and awareness by providing training for teachers and instructors, developing an age-appropriate curriculum, and launching public awareness campaigns.
- To ensure schools have access to swimming pools, the Left Party is proposing legislation that makes swimming lessons a mandatory part of the elementary school curriculum, and calling for more staff in swimming pools.
- The Left Party's plan also includes the introduction of a "swimming pool euro" for children and young people, with an affordable entrance fee of one euro, to make swimming accessible regardless of parents' financial situation.
