The German education system faces significant challenges related to migration, with recent findings indicating that students from migration backgrounds lag notably behind their native peers.
A study led by Professor Lars Feld at the Walter Eucken Institute revealed that over a third of children in German schools have a migration background.
According to the report from building Newspapers, these students are disproportionately represented among those who have not achieved the required Schulabschluss, similar to a US high school diploma.
In 2023, a staggering 74% of individuals who did not meet their qualifications came from immigrant backgrounds.
Furthermore, the analysis indicated that students with migration backgrounds generally perform worse on standardized tests compared to their native counterparts.
In terms of vocational training, nearly half of students without vocational education in 2023 came from immigrant backgrounds.
Professor Feld remarked on the findings, stating that children with immigration backgrounds achieve poorer results in subjects like mathematics and natural sciences compared to their peers without immigration histories.
“This is concerning,” he said. “If we do not address this effectively in education and social policy, we risk neglecting a vital opportunity for our country.”
The study pointed to various reasons for these notable disparities, including the fact that many children from migration backgrounds do not speak German at home.
While early education could help mitigate this issue, the researchers also noted a striking disparity in kindergarten attendance.
The study showed that by 2023, 99% of native children aged 3 to 6 were in kindergarten, whereas only 77% of immigrant children in the same age group attended.
