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According to the Ifo Education Barometer, most people in Germany want to end the confusion in education. Consequently, there is a strong desire for more uniform national standards. With one exception.
Whether it’s a tripartite school system or the Abitur exams after eight or nine years: education is a matter of country. The Basic Law allows different forms of education by individual federal states. The so-called cultural sovereignty is considered the almost inviolable core of federalism.
Against the “principle of power of all”
However, in the opinion of many citizens, this educational federalism should be phased out. For this year’s education barometer, the ifo Institute asked more than 10,000 people between the ages of 18 and 69 how they felt about educational federalism. Subsequently, a majority came out against the principle that everyone is power in individual countries.
Sixty percent of those surveyed are in favor of the most important educational policy decisions being made by the federal government and not by the states. Only 24 percent spoke out against the federal government making a decision here. Notably, this result became even clearer the more information respondents received on the complex topic. The study provided a randomly selected subgroup with even more basic information about the meaning of the question before the participants were asked for the answer. They were also told why there are different school systems in Germany, for example in terms of curricula or types of schools. In this subgroup, 66 percent favored greater federal participation.
The federal government should have a voice, especially in universities.
In different areas, the desire for uniform regulation grows the more advanced the educational institution is. While only 19 percent of daycare centers would like the federal government to have more influence here, the figure is 42 percent for general and vocational schools. The desire for greater participation from the federal government is greatest among universities: 53 percent.
The comparability of school performance is particularly important
Ifo Institute experts rate it as particularly difficult to compare individual student performance in federal states. “The uneven implementation of benchmarks, more difficult access to data, and poorly coordinated examination systems mean that the information available for qualified comparisons in education policy in individual countries can be used commercially,” the study says. An overwhelming majority of 88 percent would like this comparability to occur. Therefore, 54 percent want standardized curricula and about 50 percent are in favor of a joint Abitur.
Momentum for further cooperation?
At the moment there are no indications of a political majority in favor of a far-reaching change in the constitutional rules of jurisdiction. The financial aid of more than five billion euros in the Digital School Pact had caused a fierce controversy in the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
However, the results could give new impetus to the political discussion on at least more coordinated cooperation between individual countries. A joint national board of education and a joint state treaty for education are under discussion. After all, similar to broadcasting, a coordinated set of rules for all federal states could ensure greater uniformity. A joint country agreement would be somewhat less binding. The Kultusministerkonferenz is currently working on a draft.
By the way, in the Ifo study there is only one area in which most did not want standardization: summer holidays. Only 28 percent are in favor, 64 percent would rather not go on vacation with all of Germany.
