German Education

In Germany, much like in the United States, the responsibility for administrating public schools falls to the states, while the federal government does very little. The German grading system is based on a scale of one through six, six being the highest possible grade, one being the lowest, the equivalent to an American F. The German government forbids its citizens from home-schooling their children except in cases where a child is ill and cannot attend classes. Many scholars have agreed that the German education system is among the best in the world.

A German child’s education typically begins with kindergarten, which the schools provide for all children ages three to six, but is not compulsory. German primary schools are not stratified, as their secondary schools are, and accept all students for a period of four to six years. Once they pass on to the secondary level, students are sorted into schools based on teacher recommendations that reflect their ability level. The most gifted children, who typically prepare for studies at the university level, attend the Gymnasium, the highest academic level of secondary school in Germany. The German education system offers a somewhat broader range of programs for students who fall in the middle of the bell curve, who attend school at the Realschule. Students who wish to prepare for vocational employment attend the Hauptschule, which accepts any students who wish to attend. Finally, the Gesamtschule combines all three approaches in a comprehensive program. The German education system also provides Forderschulen, or schools that serve students with special education needs. Students who wish to attend university must take a standardized examination known as the Abitur, but even students with a vocational diploma may apply. Graduates of secondary level schools can also move on to three year-long apprenticeships run through the Berufsschule, another type of vocational school.

Throughout history, Germans have placed a huge importance upon the education of their children. Beginning with Martin Luther, who promoted compulsory German education, education became a strong influence on local culture. The Kingdom of Prussia became one of the first states to introduce free education during the 1700s, providing its pupils with the skills they would need to adapt to the newly industrialized society. However, usually only the wealthy had access to education beyond the primary level. During the years of the German Empire, education became more centralized, with a greater segment of the population able to attend newly built secondary schools. German education remained little changed throughout the twentieth century, except for the introduction of Nazi propaganda into the curriculum while the Third Reich was in power. However, these ideas were eliminated after the Allied Victory, when the Soviet Union and the United States retooled education in East and West Germany, respectively, to reflect their own ideologies.