Under the banner of “Politics Goes to School”, the Association of Bavarian Private Schools is taking a stand against political disenchantment and radicalization. The programme …
... was supported in 2018 by around 120 members of the Bavarian parliament (Landtag), spanning all parties and including members of the Bavarian government. In the project, Ilse Aigner, then Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, stepped into the role of teacher in a “lesson” with members of our upper school. Ms Aigner’s visit was keenly awaited by these young people, the generation that would become eligible to vote in the following election. No trace of indifference or disenchantment here! Many of the students had prepared questions of personal significance to ask the Economics Minister, such as “Is going to university still worth it?” and “What sectors of business and industry will offer the best job opportunities in the future?”, but also addressing strategic topics like prohibition of diesel fuel – sensible or senseless? –, possibilities of funding new drive technologies besides electrification, the impact of much-hyped cryptocurrencies on the financial sector, and cash and interest rates. Ms Aigner willingly engaged with the world of the students, demonstrating that politics addresses concrete problems which confront us all in our daily lives. Given this, the evening “lesson” went by in a flash. Ms Aigner’s visit provided the students with authentic insights into what exactly is involved in politics beyond the media headlines. We are delighted that our students had this opportunity to present their questions to a top politician on an equal footing.
