German Schools Receive Mediocre Ratings

German schools have been given mediocre ratings by the German population, with an average grade of 3.01 according to the 2024 Education Barometer of the Ifo Institute. The education policy has received even worse ratings, with only 20% of respondents giving it a very good grade.

The majority of Germans (78%) are calling for higher state spending on education. Proposed reforms such as compulsory kindergarten from the age of 4, language tests at 4.5 years, and daily reading training have garnered broad approval.

Teacher shortages are believed to negatively impact performance, according to 79% of respondents, while 49% expect positive effects from digitization and AI. Bavaria has received the highest rating, while Bremen has been given the lowest rating.

The education system in Bremen has been identified as the weakest in Germany, according to a comparison study. Overall, the ratings suggest that there is room for improvement in the German education system, with calls for increased investment and reforms.