In response to Germany's dismal PISA results in reading, math, and science, CDU's Federal Vice President Karin Prien, also the Education Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, has called for urgent action. These poor showings only confirmed the grim results from recent national studies, pushing home the point painfully, as Prien stated during her Deutschlandfunk radio interview.
Published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the PISA study revealed Germany's lowest-ever scores within their respective framework. Collaborating with the Schleswig-Holstein state government, Prien plans to establish special language support in perspectives schools starting the upcoming academic year. These schools, recognized for their socially challenging environments, will benefit from this dedicated support program.
Focusing on foundation skills, Prien believes they should be nurtured even at preschool levels, as academic success begins in nursery school. Her proposal involves implementing screening across all school locations and reducing the correlation between background and educational achievement through early intervention and enhanced math lessons. Teacher training is also prioritized to strengthen this reform push.
Aware of the swelling momentum for changes, the CDU figured it was time to shift from a welfare to a social education state, before the actual PISA results were released. This reform must be given priority in federal and state governments' budgets across various age groups, arguing that education should no longer be overlooked.
Although the specific reforms proposed by Prien weren't detailed in the sources, the broader context here suggests a need to improve digital competency, teacher training, curriculum integration, and infrastructure support to tackle these educational challenges in Germany. The political landscape, particularly upcoming elections, may influence the implementation and prioritization of these reforms.
