Interview: „Wir sind vom Mittelmaß regiert“: Kinderbuchverlegerin fordert Bildungsreform

Hamburg's Oetinger Verlag, known for publishing popular children's books such as "Pippi Longstocking", "The Olchis", and "The Sams", is planning to expand into the event space with an interactive experience for "The Olchis" beginning in the fall. Despite the crisis in the publishing industry, Verlag director Julia Bielenberg remains optimistic, stating that her team is constantly coming up with new ideas. However, Bielenberg is particularly concerned about the declining reading skills of children in Germany.

She argues that if just one out of every four cars were abandoned, immediate action would be taken, but when one out of every four children cannot read, no action is taken. This lack of reading proficiency, according to Bielenberg, has serious economic consequences, as young people enter the workforce with inadequate educational backgrounds.

The publishers are calling for a major educational reform, but they also hold parents accountable. They believe that with many children unable to complete simple tasks independently, there needs to be a form of "parental license".

Bielenberg and her colleagues Christian Graef and Thilo Schmid are not placing much hope in the federal government for a significant reform package. They claim that the government's efforts have been incremental and minimal. Bielenberg expresses frustration with the lack of substantial change in Berlin, stating that she now merely "chuckles" at the political developments.