NRW: State Center for Civic Education is becoming more independent!

NRW: State Center for Civic Education is becoming more independent!

There is good news regarding political education in North Rhine-Westphalia: The State Center for Political Education will be comprehensively reorganized and will be assigned to the state parliament in the future. This is an important step towards strengthening the institution's independence and non-partisanship. According to information from Düsseldorf, a joint draft law by the CDU, Greens, SPD and FDP factions is to be passed in plenary session on Wednesday.

The state headquarters specializes in promoting democratic awareness and political participation among the population. Preventive work against hostility to people and democracy is particularly important, especially in the context of the increasing radicalization of young people via social media. The need to take targeted measures to counteract these developments is emphasized.

Diverse educational offerings

The state headquarters is already investing in various projects at memorials in North Rhine-Westphalia. It also provides a wide range of materials, including films, games, apps and books, to reach a wide audience. The target group is people from all social classes and milieus, which underlines the importance and openness of educational work.

The restructuring is not ill-advised. It was previously recommended by a commission of experts, which makes it clear that a well-founded approach is being pursued. A newly established board of trustees is intended to guarantee the non-partisan nature of the state headquarters and is made up of members of the state parliament presidium, members of all parliamentary groups and experts. This cooperation not only ensures a broad base, but also long-term stability of political education in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Democracy center in focus

A very crucial aspect of the restructuring is the relocation of the previous staff office for the prevention of anti-Semitism, extremism and racism, which is now anchored as a “democracy center” in the state headquarters. This shows how seriously the state government takes today's challenges and how it is responding to them.

In future, the management of the state headquarters will be appointed by the Board of Trustees with a two-thirds majority for six years. It is important that these measures are not only well-intentioned but also implemented effectively to gain the public's trust. NRW is the third federal state after Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg to follow a model that relies on independence and its impact on society.

At a time when political education is more important than ever, North Rhine-Westphalia shows that it is ready to take responsibility and play an important role in society. Focusing on diversity and preventing extremism are promising steps in the right direction.