A recent nationwide survey reveals a significant disconnect between German education policy and public opinion, highlighting a widespread desire for a more meritocratic system. Conducted by Forsa for the German Association of Teachers of Grammar Schools (DPhV) and reported by “Welt” the poll demonstrates overwhelming support for performance-based placement in secondary education.
The findings indicate that 92% of respondents believe the selection of a student’s subsequent school should not be solely determined by parental preference. Instead, academic achievement and teacher assessments should be key factors in the transition from primary to secondary education. Susanne Lin-Klitzing, federal chairwoman of the DPhV, stated that the results clearly demonstrate that the public prioritizes performance over parental wishes, a viewpoint seemingly at odds with current educational policies in many federal states.
The survey also underscores the perceived role of the Gymnasium, Germany’s highest-level secondary school, as a crucial pathway to higher education. A resounding 85% of respondents believe the Gymnasium’s standards should be rigorous enough to adequately prepare students for university, reinforcing its widely held perception as a cornerstone of general education and academic advancement. The survey findings also revealed a concern regarding the value of the Abitur, the final examination for secondary education, with a call for it to genuinely guarantee university readiness, rather than being a solely grade-dependent qualification.
Critically, the DPhV’s assessment of the survey results is compounded by the recently released IQB (Institute for Quality and Educational Research) education trend report for 2024, which documented concerning declines in student performance, even within the Gymnasium system. This context amplifies the urgency of the public’s desire for a stronger performance-oriented approach, both in secondary school placement and in the Abitur qualification.
Lin-Klitzing emphasized that while the public overwhelmingly supports a return to performance-driven education, what ultimately requires reappraisal is 25 years of increasingly diluted educational policies. She argues that the focus should be on restoring the intellectual rigor of the curriculum, rather than fundamentally questioning the principle of meritocracy itself. The survey’s regional variations, with stronger Abitur-as-gateway support in Eastern Germany, also highlight the complex and evolving dynamics within the German educational landscape, particularly as younger generations express alternative pathways to university access.