The city of Karlsruhe answered an inquiry of the city council group the Free Voters and FOR Karlsruhe on the lack of exercise, but not very concretely. The city council group had submitted a question to the city administration to find out how well the city is equipped with sports facilities and staff for school lessons to prevent lack of exercise among students. An inventory analysis should provide clarity, he said.
However, the city government has no answer as to whether physical education and swimming classes are staffed with enough qualified teachers – a basic requirement for children to get enough exercise. Also, the council has no information on how many physical education classes were cancelled last school year. The group expects significant improvements in this area. In the council meeting, councilor Friedemann Kalmbach criticized the poor data situation and asked the city to provide a more detailed answer. Mayor Mentrup agreed to clarify the issue again in conversation.
Even before the pandemic, according to several studies, more than twice as many classes were cancelled than authorities and education ministers claimed: 5% of all physical education classes were cancelled due to a lack of teachers and sports facilities.
However, the sports halls, athletics fields and stadiums in Karlsruhe are solid, according to the city administration: “The sports halls are adequately equipped for the practice of school sports. Some halls are in need of renovation due to their age, but this does not restrict school sports. Necessary building maintenance measures are carried out as required, as are necessary replacements of sports equipment in a timely manner,” reads the city’s response letter. However, the backlog of renovations and the financial situation do not allow any more concrete statements to be made regarding implementation.
