Education Day
These are the greatest challenges
Dr. Elke Völmicke, Managing Director Education & Talent, the federal and state talent development center.
© Damian Gorczany / Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft
Education Day has been taking place on December 8th since 2015. Dr. Elke Völmicke.
Education opportunities in Germany still depend more on social origin than in other industrialized countries. This is also reflected in a new Forsa survey on Education Day on December 8th among young people. A majority of 59 percent of the 14 to 21-year-olds surveyed therefore do not believe that there is equal opportunity in the German education system.
“This is the worst value since our first survey in 2015 and therefore an alarm signal that we should take seriously,” warns Dr. Elke Völmicke, Managing Director Education & Talent, the federal and state talent promotion center, in an interview. At the same time, however, the expert also recalls the numerous positive examples. “Various projects from all over the world are already committed to good and equitable education. These examples must be brought into focus so that we can show what a successful education looks like.”
Miss Dr. Völmicke, what is Education Day and what is it for?
Dr. Völmicke: Education Day is a day of action that puts the subject in the public eye on December 8th every year. And that’s exactly what we need this day for. Education still does not get the attention it deserves, yet it is key to solving many problems around the world. On Education Day, we also want to celebrate educational successes and make committed educational initiatives visible and network with one another.
On the occasion of Education Day, a representative Forsa survey was commissioned to interview those whose perspective is usually not taken into account in the discussion: adolescents and young adults. A majority of 59 percent of the 14 to 21 year olds surveyed do not believe that there is equal opportunity in the German education system. What does that mean for you?
Dr. Völmicke: That is the worst value since our first survey in 2015 and therefore an alarm signal that we should take seriously. At the same time, a current study by the Stifterverband and McKinsey “From working-class child to doctor” comes to the conclusion that the educational opportunities for children from non-academic families have improved across all educational levels in recent years. However, the positive development does not change the basic trend: The social origin still has a decisive influence on a child’s educational success. Improving equal opportunities is and will therefore remain the central task for us. We have to take young adults seriously in their assessments and give all children and young people the opportunity to make the best of their talents – regardless of their origin or social background.
61 percent of those surveyed consider knowledge of climate and environmental protection to be relevant for their personal professional future – more than knowledge of politics and history. Do children and young people need different learning content in view of the impending ecological crisis?
Dr. Völmicke: We can see from the Fridays for Future movement that young people understand climate protection as a central social task. It is exciting that especially young people keep reminding that scientific knowledge should be the basis for all decisions in the area of climate and environmental protection. But it is not just the ecological crisis that makes new learning content, competencies and skills necessary. At the same time, we are facing a digital transformation that will affect and change all areas of our life. Not to mention the political challenges. In overcoming this challenge and answering all these questions, we should always stay in touch with the young people themselves, because they want to help shape their future.
You also let the young people formulate their own demands on politics. What is it about?
Dr. Völmicke: It is very important to us to see young people as shapers of their own education. So we ask them and listen to them. On the basis of the survey just mentioned, the young adults formulated four demands. You advocate free education that should be understood in a comprehensive way. That means: Regardless of whether it is a digital device or an exercise book, it should be made available free of charge. They also demand greater support from “left behind” students – for example through tutoring programs or offers during the holidays. The young people also want the school to become a “safe space”. This means that school should be a place of retreat for those who are otherwise affected by discrimination, marginalization or other forms of exclusion. This will require more school social workers and psychologists in schools. Finally, they demand that the potential of digital learning opportunities is also used and that distance learning continues to be made possible – even beyond the pandemic.
Not just since the pandemic, the buzzword of the hour for many is not only education, but also digital education. How do you see it
Dr. Völmicke: Of course, education is a key challenge in times of digital transformation. On the one hand, it is about the new competencies just described that are necessary, but also about new future-oriented, co-creative and participatory processes of learning. That is why we are also dedicating ourselves to the topic of “Learning and teaching in times of digital transformation” on Education Day 2021. But it is important to us that in addition to the many challenges, it is also seen that a lot is already going very well. Various projects from all over the world are already committed to good and equitable education.
Why is it important to also focus on positive examples?
Dr. Völmicke: Exactly because there are many positive examples. These are unfortunately often forgotten in the discussion about what is not going so well. These examples need to be brought into focus so that we can show what a successful education looks like. Of course, we also want to encourage people to imitate them. Only when we learn from one another can everyone benefit.
Numerous analog and digital campaigns and events take place on Education Day, which ones stand out in particular?
Dr. Völmicke: At our central virtual education conference, the young people will present their self-developed demands and proposed solutions for a better education system and share them with the Brandenburg Education Minister and President of the Conference of Education Ministers, Britta Ernst, and Prof. Dr. Olaf Köller, Chairman of the Standing Scientific Commission of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. It is great that the young adults can finally speak directly to the politically responsible. Most of the time there is a lot of talk about children and adolescents, but only rarely with them. We can also look forward to our other guests Heinz-Peter Meidinger, President of the German Teachers’ Association, and journalist Günther Jauch. It will be parallel an online festival give, on which education enthusiasts from all over Germany will present a diverse program with seminars, conferences, readings and workshops. Many of the positive examples of our educational landscape are made visible here.