On Friday, 6 March 2026, a group of school principals and Office of Education employees set off on the first "Inclusion Safari" organized by the Office of Education. Four schools were on the agenda - and with them an impressive variety of educational ideas, concepts and tools. The participants' task was to take a close look, discover special features and consider what could be adapted for their own school. Not to copy, but to transfer.

Small school Planken: Where relationship is the most important learning material

The starting point was the parking lot in front of the Triesen secondary schools. From there, a coach took the group to Kleinschule Planken. Principal Mathias Marogg welcomed the guests with an insight into the philosophy of his school - a school that deliberately remains small, informal and approachable.

For years, Planken has focused on self-determined learning, on attempts to continuously develop the school and on close cooperation with educational universities in Switzerland. "We like to rethink things," said Marogg. "Children should enjoy coming to us. We support them individually - both academically and personally."

Relationships are more than just a buzzword here: they are a success factor. Teachers do not see themselves as mere imparters of knowledge, but as learning companions who give the children guidance without restricting them.

Balzers secondary school: new school instead of old school

The expedition continued to Balzers secondary school, where 15 teachers accompany 95 young people. "We have 95 different talents and needs here," emphasized principal Dominic Bont. His pedagogical leitmotif is based on a well-known African proverb: "It takes a village to raise a child. And just as many hands and hearts to run a school well.

Balzers has clearly moved away from learning in lockstep. "Old School treats everyone equally, but not fairly," said Bont. Differences in speed, language, prior knowledge or interests are hardly taken into account in the traditional model. Inclusion, on the other hand, takes each person seriously and gives them what they need for their learning path.

What this looks like in everyday life can be observed: Learning ateliers, project-based "talent lessons", the weekly "Freiday" and regular learning coaching sessions create a variety of paths to success. Individual pacing prevents over- and underchallenging, a variety of tasks boost motivation and self-esteem and a broad range of methods promotes social integration.

Schaan community schools: focus on life skills

Third stop: the Schaan community schools. Head of comprehensive school Philipp Dünser began by presenting the school system: a system that deliberately facilitates transitions. Mixed-age learning enables a smooth transition from basic level to lower and later to middle school. "A child is picked up where it stands," explained Dünser. There is no need to change classes when repeating or skipping a level.

Weekly structures provide orientation, and basic attitudes such as "cultivating relationships", "feeling safe" and "allowing mistakes" are practiced from the very beginning. A central element is the "Becoming strong together" teaching program, which supports children in their personal development and strengthens their life skills.

In difficult situations, an internal school counseling team is on hand to provide low-threshold and uncomplicated support. On the playground, a variety of activities and games provide variety: from street racket to juggling and badminton. And: a class council meets regularly in all classes to promote democratic thinking and strengthen the class atmosphere.

Triesen School Center: A lagoon to recharge your batteries

The last stop on the safari was Triesen School Center. David Büchel, principal of the lower secondary school in Triesen, gave an introduction to the newly created school lagoon - a retreat and support space for all pupils at the Triesen site (municipal school, upper secondary school and secondary modern school).

The lagoon offers a quiet, protected extension of the learning space. "Children are supported according to their individual needs and their skills are strengthened," says Büchel. If learning in class becomes difficult, they can calm down here, reflect and return to class with new solutions.

The first inclusion safari impressively demonstrated how diverse and lively the schools in Liechtenstein are. Each school has a different focus, but it is noticeable everywhere: the focus is on relationships, individualization and genuine participation. The expedition made it clear how much innovative power there is in the system and how valuable it can be to look beyond one's own school fence. Learning does not only take place in classrooms, but also in exchange with each other. This is exactly what this safari impressively demonstrated.