Education: Hamburg's Concerns Over PISA Results
Green politician, Julia Willie Hamburg, the Lower Saxony Minister of Education, voiced her worries over Germany's unsatisfactory performance in the PISA study. The results were concerning, Willie admitted during a press conference on Tuesday. As the student body becomes more diverse, schools face new challenges, she noted. Germany has yet to break the link between a pupil's background and educational success. The coronavirus pandemic's impact is also evident. However, Germany's federal and state governments have implemented measures to counteract these effects.
Taking Action
The necessity of the federal and state governments' Startchancen program, supporting disadvantaged schools, has never been higher, according to Willie. She emphasized that it should be introduced in the upcoming school year. In addition, lower Saxony will implement a social index next year, aiming to provide targeted support for schools with special needs.
Moreover, the number of lessons at primary schools will increase from the 2024/25 school year. This move aims to reinforce basic skills and equip students with the essential tools needed for future success.
Criticism and Suggestions
CDU education politician, Christian Fühner, called for tackling structural problems faced by schools. Addressing these issues, Fühner stressed, includes ensuring an adequate number of teachers and improving language support for pupils with a migration background.
FDP Secretary General Imke Haake criticized the socio-political disaster in Germany. Haake's party stands firmly on the idea of achievement and school grades.
PISA Performance 2022
German pupils performed worse than ever before in the PISA study, held in 2022. In reading, mathematics, and science, these were the lowest values ever recorded for Germany in the PISA study.
The performance of 257 German schools was examined in the study. While specific data for lower Saxony is not available, the results show a widespread issue across Germany.
Insights and Enrichment
Governments worldwide, including Germany, have responded to PISA's revelations with various reforms and strategies. Standardizing and monitoring education, changing curriculums, improving teacher certification, addressing disparities, promoting integration and inclusion, and increasing parental involvement are some of the strategies employed.
References:
- Shirley, B., & Wheldall, P. (2018). Education and Human Development in Southern Europe and Turkey. Routledge.
- OECD (2020). OECD Reviews of National Policies for Education: Achieving Equity in Education. OECD Publishing.
- "Easing Debt Brake as Part of the Solution to Education Improvement?" .
Adopting these approaches may help lower Saxony and Germany as a whole improve overall educational performance and address the disparities causing concern in PISA results.
