Some 8.4 million pupils attend general-education schools
as such in all states. In 2014 432,700 pupils were
In 72 countries the 140 German schools
awarded the higher education entrance diplo-
abroad provide an excellent education to
ma entitling them to study at a university or
around 20,800 German and 61,000 non-Ger-
university of applied sciences. For children
man pupils. Most are run privately, but are
with special needs there are separate schools
supported by the Central Agency for German
which, depending on the particular disability,
Schools Abroad (ZfA). Since 2008 the PASCH
provide adequate facilities to help them learn
initiative, ZfA and Goethe-Institut have been
and develop. In line with the UN Convention
working on forming an even bigger network
on the Rights of People with Disabilities, chil-
of German students. Worldwide it links al-
dren with and without disability being taught
most 2,000 schools, with more than 600,000
together is intended to become the rule.
pupils learning German there.