Old school: German great-grandpa pitches in with homeschooling

81-year-old Gerd Kumbier admits that home-schooling his great grandkids can be challenging but he's up for it. Photo: AFP

It's been a while since 81-year-old Gerd Kumbier has set foot in a classroom, but he's hitting the books once again to help homeschool his great-granddaughters while the coronavirus keeps German schools closed.

In a flat in Berlin-Hellersdorf, on the eastern outskirts of the capital, Kumbier is bent over nine-year-old Leyla's German notebook, watching in deep concentration as she practises her cursive writing.