Just days before the German federal election, the Green Party’s top leaders are calling for an “education turnaround” to tackle problems at schools and kindergartens. According to a paper by party co-chairs Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak, as reported by the taz, the federal government, states and local authorities must “work hand in hand” and education must become a “top priority at all levels.” The plan also envisions massive investments in the education system.
“The fewer young people can read, write and calculate correctly at the end of their schooling, the more they leave school without a diploma” the Green Party leaders note. More and more students are struggling with technological innovations and Germany remains one of the industrial nations where educational success is still heavily dependent on a family’s financial situation and the social background of the parents.
To counter this, Brantner and Banaszak propose that the next federal chancellor invite all state premiers and agree on a “joint roadmap for education until 2035.” The Greens are calling for 10 billion euros per year to be invested in the renovation of school buildings and modern equipment for schools, as well as more funding for personnel, including not just teachers but also social pedagogues, school psychologists and IT specialists. For kindergartens, the party plans to double the federal government’s investments, with a focus on language support as a “contribution to integration.”
The party leaders are referring to the “Germany Fund” envisioned in their election program, which would be filled with credits. In education policy, the money should no longer be distributed according to the “bucket principle” but rather, the Greens aim to develop alternative funding keys in collaboration with the states to support financially struggling local authorities more specifically.