New Minister of Education Jan Riedel: fresh wind for Saxony-Anhalt!

New Minister of Education Jan Riedel: fresh wind for Saxony-Anhalt!

In a surprising turn in the Saxon-Anhalt state policy, it was announced on Sunday evening that Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff released the Minister of Education Eva Feussner. The reason for this decision is internal conflicts within the CDU parliamentary group, which came to light more and more. Haseloff thanked Feussner for her long office, who, among other things, started as a state secretary in the Ministry of Education and culminated in 2021 with her appointment as the minister. According to MDR , the personnel was necessary to improve the difficult situation in education policy.

The decision was not made out of the blue. A crisis discussion took place in the State Chancellery in June, in which controversial issues between representatives of the Ministry of Education and the CDU parliamentary group were discussed. In particular, Feussner's alone, such as the abolition of ski courses in physical education and the controversial withdrawal of their plans to increase minimum students, caused displeasure. The problems with the payment of additional hours for teachers were also a strong argument against them.

a new man at the top

After the resignation of Feußner, Jan Riedel was appointed successor. The 43-year-old is born in Bornaer and lives with his family in Halle-Dölau. Riedel has his political roots in the CDU and has been director of the Lyonel-Feininger-Gymnasium in Halle since 2016, a school that is known for its high quality. So he not only brings practical experience, but also a certain level of political experience, because he was also elected city council chairman in Halle. To his appointment, Riedel said that he was an honor to serve his country. His official performance will take place on Wednesday in the State Chancellery, since the cabinet on the previous day in Brussels, such as the Welt describes.

The reactions to Riedel's takeover are mixed. Mayor Alexander Vogt sees both a loss for the city council and a profit for Halle in his change, since a minister is now sitting at the cabinet table. The SPD parliamentary group leader Katja Pähle emphasizes that Riedel faces major challenges and hopes that his practical experience will become fruitful. FDP parliamentary group leader Andreas Silbersack wishes Riedel every success, while AfD politician Hans-Thomas Tillschneider criticizes the dismissal of Feussner as a desperate sinsbock attempt.

The challenges of educational policy

But what does Riedel's appointment mean specifically for education policy in Saxony-Anhalt? The left-wing faction expressed doubts that it can change the basic problems that arose under Feussner. Green politician Susan Sziborra-Seidlitz accused him of no longer concealing political failure, while schools are loud for help. It remains to be seen whether Riedel can breathe new life into educational policy and whether he will overcome the split within the CDU parliamentary group.

The coming weeks will be crucial to see whether Jan Riedel, as Minister of Education, can bring about the turn that many expect in the country. His previous experiences both as a teacher and as a headmaster hope that he can approach the upcoming challenges with a good hand.