June 2015

Several Ministers of Culture and Education, as well as chairpersons of teachers Unions, have commented on the results of the national teacher survey

After the publication of the results of the survey of teachers on handwriting a whole range of Ministers of Culture and Education, as well as chairpersons of teachers unions in Germany pledged for promoting handwriting, which has positive influence on successful learning..

Among them are:

President of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs in Saxony, Brunhildt Kurth (CDU):
“We can't stop the expanding digitalisation. All the more important that school makes sure that all pupils will develop an individual and legible handwriting. That requires as well to write by hand even in higher grades, always when possible. You can't simply delete something handwritten. One has to think twice before writing it down. This supports structured thinking.”
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung

Federal Minister of Education in Germany, Johanna Wanka (CDU):
"Studies prove: People who write in cursive handwriting, write in a more concious way. Cursive handwriting promotes fine motor skills and reasoning. Some things in fact never fade. Cursive writing is not among those things. In Germany there is also the tendency to abolish it, because at first sight it seems to be easier to use printed letters right away. This would be a mistake. We have to save cursive handwriting!"
Source: News4teachers.de

Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs in Saxony-Anhalt, Stephan Dorgerloh (SPD):
“Cursive handwriting is part of the curriculum in Saxony-Anhalt. We will stick to that. Because this is an essential element of school. Handwriting is part of every personality. And those things written down by hand stay longer in the brain than those things typed with a keyboard. Therefore I'm convinced: cursive handwriting will stay. It is part of our culture. And therefore it will keep its solid and enduring position at schools.”
Source: Mitteldeutsche Zeitung

Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs in Baden-Wuerttenberg, Andreas Stoch (SPD):
“Even in the digital era it is of fundamental importance that children will develop an individual handwriting.”
Source: Stuttgarter Zeitung

Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs in Bavaria, Ludwig Spaenle (CSU):
“The elaboration of an individual handwriting is important for the development of one's own personality, it supports manifold cognitive skills and motor skills.”
Source: Münchner Merkur

Minister of Education in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Mathias Brodkorb (SPD):
“Cursive handwriting is a cultural asset which has to retain.”
Source: Ostsee Zeitung

Minister of Education in Brandenburg, Günter Baaske (SPD):
„An abolition is out of the question.”
Source: News4teachers.de

Udo Beckmann, President of the association education and culture:
“Printed handwriting is important as a base, but linked handwriting trains fine motor skills, supports learning to read and is also a sign of a developing personality.”
Source: News4teachers.de