Union of educators condemns delay in school-related decisions by authorities
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Germany has eased or removed significant uniform mask regulations and class size adjustments for schools, according to recent data.
The general government response to the ongoing pandemic continues to monitor COVID-19 waves, with discussions around mask mandates still taking place, particularly as new waves emerge. However, some mask rules have already been lifted, such as the scrapping of mask requirements on long-distance public transport.
Regarding schools specifically, there is no recent indication of strict uniform mask mandates or enforced class size reductions. Earlier in the pandemic, mask mandates and school closures or reduced class sizes were common, but by mid-2025, data suggest that schools operate with normal or near-normal protocols. A 2025 study noted that school mask mandates did not affect COVID-19 transmission rates significantly and that in-person schooling was not a major driver of infection.
Scientific evaluations imply that masks in schools may have limited impact on transmission in the current context, and policies have shifted accordingly. Furthermore, major policy updates around mask wearing outside healthcare (e.g., public transport) generally occurred earlier (2021-2022), with recent steps toward lifting mandates.
As a result, schools in Germany have largely returned to pre-pandemic operational sizes without uniform mask mandates. Any residual or local measures likely depend on federal state decisions rather than unified national regulation.
In summary, as of July 2025, there are no uniform mask mandates or class size adjustments enforced nationally in German schools. Any specific details for an individual federal state or city may be found in local education or health authorities, as they may have more precise, updated guidelines reflecting regional COVID-19 situations.
Recently, the German Teachers' Association President, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, criticised the postponement of school closures until next week and questioned the logic of restaurant owners having to close their businesses while some schools allow thirty students to sit next to each other without masks.
A photograph of children playing in a schoolyard, shared by the dts news agency, does not indicate any unusual or concerning circumstances in the school environment, nor does it show any signs of coronavirus precautions being taken. The photograph does not show any teachers or school staff members, and it is unclear whether the children are in class or outside of class.
Meidinger suggested that school principals and teachers should decide which students have to stay at home or come to school in hybrid teaching, and he expressed concern that adjustments to the lockdown in November may come too late. He also suggested that states should agree on uniform regulations such as a mask requirement in all classes and called for an expansion of the mask requirement to contain the spread of infections at schools.
Despite these concerns, the current evidence suggests that schools in Germany have returned to pre-pandemic operational sizes without uniform mask mandates, and any residual or local measures likely depend on federal state decisions rather than unified national regulation.
- The absence of uniform mask mandates and class size adjustments in German schools is a reflection of the shift in policies regarding education-and-self-development during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the general news shows.
- As the debate on mask mandates in politics continues, some education-and-self-development sectors, such as schools in Germany, have already seen the relaxation of mask rules, with other sectors following suit, as demonstrated by the recent lifting of mask requirements on long-distance public transport. (Assuming a general relaxation of mask rules is considered a reflection of policies in 'politics')
