Up to two billion a year
20 billion euros are intended to strengthen hotspot schools
February 2, 2024, 1:55 p.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
In Germany, educational success depends heavily on the parents’ home. In order to improve opportunities regardless, the federal and state governments are investing a total of around 20 billion euros in a tenth of schools within ten years.
The federal and state governments have agreed on a billion-dollar program to support schools in difficult social situations. The Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs approved a corresponding proposed resolution. The federal government wants to give up to one billion euros annually. The states should contribute equally. In total, this would be around 20 billion euros over a period of ten years.
In September, the federal and state governments presented key points. Accordingly, around 4,000 schools and vocational schools should benefit from additional funding in the next decade – around one million students should be reached. There are around 40,000 schools in Germany with almost eleven million students.
The program is a project from the traffic light government’s coalition agreement. It says: “With the new StartChances program, we want to give children and young people better educational opportunities, regardless of their parents’ social situation.” The schools should be selected by the states. The aim is to strengthen students’ skills, especially in reading and writing as well as mathematics.
Elementary school students fail at reading, writing and arithmetic
The background is the realization that in Germany the success of a child at school still depends heavily on the parents. Educational studies also show a decline in skills. Many children fail in reading, writing and arithmetic in primary school, fall behind and then fail to graduate later.
Just in December, the results of a new PISA study showed that German students in 2022 performed worse than ever before: According to the information, these were the lowest values in reading as well as in mathematics and natural sciences Germany have ever been measured within the framework of Pisa.