Education policy

Education policy refers to the political measures for the organization and administration of the education system in Germany, including educational institutions such as schools and universities, but also vocational education and training institutions. The education system is organized on a federalist basis, which means that education policy in Germany is largely decided at state level. All news on this topic is available from the Education.table editorial team.What are the special features of education policy in Germany?Germany has been a federalist state since 1949, meaning that the federal states can act largely autonomously through their own state constitutions and institutions of state authority. In 2006, German education policy was largely transferred to the responsibility of the federal states through the "Federalism Reform I". This educational federalism has resulted in some considerable differences in schools in Germany, and a core task of current education policy is to balance out these differences.To facilitate this task, there are quarterly meetings of the education ministers of all federal states, the so-called Conference of Education Ministers(KMK). At these meetings, the goals of education policy are defined on a cross-state basis in order to create a common standard within Germany.Education is therefore a matter for the federal states and the state governments are largely free to decide on their own education policy. However, the education system in Germany follows a basic structure:The education system begins with non-compulsory elementary education. From school entry, further education is compulsory for all children for a period of between nine and twelve years, depending on the federal state. Depending on the federal state, elementary school includes grades 1 to 4, in Berlin and Brandenburg even up to grade 6. At the end of elementary school, pupils are given a recommendation for further education based on their performance. Secondary level I, or intermediate level, includes Hauptschule, Realschule, Gesamtschule and Förderschule, as well as Gymnasium up to and including the 9th or 10th grade. The completion of lower secondary level leads to intermediate education. In Germany, upper secondary level includes the upper secondary level of comprehensive schools and grammar schools, as well as vocational schools. On completion of upper secondary level and passing the Abitur examination, students are awarded the general higher education entrance qualification, which entitles them to enter the tertiary sector. The tertiary sector includes universities as well as vocational and technical academiesSchool authorities are responsible for the construction and administration of schools. A distinction is made here between state and private school authorities. In the case of public schools, this is usually a municipal body, for example cities or municipalities. Private school authorities can be private individuals or non-profit organizations, such as associations or public corporations. What consequences does coronavirus have for the German education system?The coronavirus crisis has brought some of the shortcomings of current education policy in Germany into focus. The digitalization of German educational institutions is not yet sufficiently advanced. It became clear that both schools and pupils often lack the necessary technical infrastructure. Distance learning was highlighted:in many households, no end devices could be provided for home schooling; for many families, work and children are not compatible without childcare facilities; often neither learners nor teachers have the required digital skills; above all, there was a lack of methods to make online teaching more appealing.But has the increased pressure caused by coronavirus been enough to accelerate the development of digital infrastructure and skills?The lack of cooperation between the federal government and the federal states has been reflected, among other things, in different regional protective measures at schools, as well as in a lack of planning security due to quick decisions by politicians and educational institutions. Distance learning has increased the inequality of educational opportunities. Children who do not have sufficient broadband coverage in their region or whose families do not have the time or economic resources to support them well in homeschooling have learning gaps. Education policy measures in the coronavirus crisisIn October 2020, the "Agreement on the common basic structure of the school system and the national responsibility of the federal states in central education policy issues" was adopted at the Conference of Education Ministers. The aim of this agreement is to standardize the federal education system somewhat - particularly with regard to the organization of the school system, the comparability of school qualifications and the further training of teachers. As part of this, it was decided to set up a "Standing Scientific Commission of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs" in order to make future education policy decisions on a more scientific basis. It is made up of leading educational research scientists. Its task is to advise the federal states on the improvement and further development of the education system. Greater cooperation should lead to more comparability and transparency in the education system in Germany.Furthermore, there are discussions both in education policy and in educational institutions themselves about how to catch up on the learning material missed due to coronavirus. To this end, the German government has set up the "Catching up after coronavirus for children and young people" catch-up package worth two billion euros. Support and tutoring programs are to be implemented by the federal states with this money in order to close learning gaps among pupils. There will also be a focus on leisure, sports and vacation activities, as well as better socio-educational support at schools and in everyday life in order to better support children and young people during this difficult phase. The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth is creating offers for families with children, such as the "Corona time-out". The possibility of voluntarily repeating the school year or adding an additional school year until graduation is also being discussed. A reduction in the curriculum is also being considered. DigitalPakt Schule - digitalization in schoolsIn 2019, the German federal government adopted the Digital P act for Schools worth 5 billion euros to promote digitalization in schools and improve the teaching of digital skills. Due to the school closures caused by the coronavirus, the digital pact was supplemented by a further 1.5 billion euros. The implementation of the Digital Pact is organized by the federal states in order to equip pupils with digital devices for distance learning and thus enable more participation in digital education. However, investments should not only be made in a nationwide digital education infrastructure and in digital education providers, but teachers must also receive further training in digital skills. New methods and pedagogical concepts need to be developed and taught to teachers. What is the education policy of the political parties in Germany?With a view to the future, it is interesting to take a closer look at the parties' education policies. Points that appear to be particularly important to almost all parties are the secure acquisition of the German language for foreign learners, early childhood support and the advancement of digitalization in the education sector:An important goal of education policy for theCDU/CSU is to decouple social background and educational success. The long-term consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are to be offset by educational and leisure activities. Teachers and learners should develop their digital skills. In addition, curricula are to be adapted to the new digital infrastructures and digital education platforms are to be standardized across Europe. The SPD wants to expand all-day education and childcare services for young pupils. The technical equipment of schools and their refurbishment should also be promoted. In order to make teaching concepts and learning materials accessible across federal states, the SPD wants to set up an open source platform (OSP) and establish competence centers for digital teaching in order to promote the further training of teachers and nationwide networking in the education sector. The Left Party is committed to greater educational equality and inclusive education. Its agenda includes free daycare centers with free meals, the establishment of more community schools with all-day care, the provision of computers and printers for pupils, as well as free Internet access regulated by an education tariff. In order to combat the shortage of skilled workers, working conditions and salaries for teachers and educators are to be improved. Teachers should also receive better training in digital skills and educational institutions should be better equipped. Alliance 90/The Greens are focusing on an expanded childcare structure through all-day schooling and improved childcare quality at daycare centers. They also want to improve the technical equipment in schools and for learners. The focus is also on strengthening digital skills. An important point on her agenda is to make the vocational training sector more attractive by introducing a training guarantee and a minimum wage for trainees. The AFD differs from the other parties in its party manifesto in that it plans to make the first four years of school attendance digital-free. Lessons are generally to be made more academic instead of focusing on teaching skills, as is currently the case. Nevertheless, it is also focusing on expanding the digital infrastructure in schools. In the opinion of the AFD, pupils with insufficient German language skills should not take part in regular lessons, but should be supervised separately. Like the Greens, they want to promote the vocational training system and make it more attractive. Diploma and master's degree courses should be reintroduced at universities and acceptance at universities should be controlled by means of entrance examinations. The FDP wants to promote better cooperation between the federal and state governments. It is campaigning for nationwide final examinations for the intermediate school-leaving certificate and the Abitur and for more personnel and financial freedom at schools. In order to better combine theory and practice, teacher training courses are to be dual in future. So-called talent schools are also to be introduced nationwide. These are schools where pupils' self-concept is strengthened and their potential is included in their development. They are also discussing the cross-state introduction of economics and IT as school subjects and the continuation of the DigitalPakt Schule, which goes beyond the provision of technical infrastructure.All parties agree that BAföG needs to be reformed. What exactly needs to be changed, however, differs from party to party:- The CDU/CSU wants to make BAföG more flexible and further develop the upward mobility BAföG.- The SPD and the Left Party want to pave the way for the full grant in the long term and abolish the age limit.- The Greens, the FDP and the Left Party want to make BAföG independent of parents, while the Left Party is also committed to abolishing tuition fees altogether in the long term. The FDP is focusing on creating "Midlife-BAföG - a second education system for life" to enable lifelong further education. Keeping up to date with education policyThe coronavirus crisis has not only shown where the problems and difficulties lie in German education policy, but has also set the course for a future digital infrastructure. Read the latest news and articles on education policy in Germany from the Table.editorial team.