Education Around the World: Germany
Education Around the World: Germany
in the country attending.
Mittelschule combines the former two although only a few German states use this educational
path. This kind is also for fifth through tenth graders.
Germany places a
heavier emphasis on
practical education than
America does. Their
schools teach children
how to succeed in a
career rather than why
they should.
Gymnasium is considered very prestigious and difficult. It is for fifth to thirteenth graders or fifth
through twelfth depending on which state one is in. Somewhat like Realschule, learning two differ-
ent languages is mandatory in Gymnasium. It is considered to be for the academic elite and get-
ting one’s preferred field of study is not a guarantee. Medicine and Law are especially in de-mand
in this kind of secondary school.
Finally, Gesamtschule is a secondary system that is most similar to the United States’s. It is a com-
prehensive school that combines elements of Hauptschule and Realschule and teaches pupils of
all academic levels.
Standardized Testing: Recent and Controversial
The country did not have standardized testing until 2003. Due to poor nationwide scores on the
PISA, or international learning standards test, it decided to introduce standards when it came to
German, Math, and a pupil’s first foreign language circa 2004/2005. The German Educator’s Un
-ion, or GEW, criticized the movement. Despite standardized testing being relatively new to the
country, the states still have a great deal of say about individual educational systems.
German Public vs. Private Schools
Germany’s educational system is very dif-
ferent from the United States of Amer-
ica’s. While America’s system is deter-
mined federally, Germany’s system
is determined by the individual
states.
Furthermore, career
paths in Germany are deter-
mined for students as early as
fifth grade while Americans
can choose jobs at any point
in their life. Finally, German
universities have been free
of charge since 2014 while
most U.S. colleges are not.
Head Start to a Dream Job
The country places a heavier
emphasis on practical educa-
tion than America does. Their
schools teach children how to
succeed in a career rather than
why they should.
36
SPRING 2017
In Germany the equivalent of elementary
school is Grundschule and the equivalent
of
middle through high school is one
of five kinds of secondary schools:
Hauptschule, Realschule, Mit-
telschule, Gymnasium, and Ge-
samtschule. Secondary school-
ing starts at grade five and can
last until a thirteenth grade.
The educational/career paths
are determined individually
by the German states.
Hauptschule is considered
the easiest kind of secondary
school by some natives. Students
who wish to get an apprenticeship
or work in a particular industry
benefit from this type of edu-
cation. It is mostly a vocational
school.
Realschule is where the majority of
secondary students go with about
forty percent of fifth through tenth graders
The majority of people attend public school in Germany. However, there are a few children in pri-
vate schools. Private academies such as Catholic schools are run by groups or wealthy individ-uals
but also subsidized by the state. As a result private academy fees are fairly low. Their curric-ula
must be identical to public schools’ by law.
Affirmative Action
Many Turkish immigrants learn in inner city schools and this has become a large problem. Like
America’s, Germany’s inner city schools are in poor shape. This is largely due to poverty in these
areas.
Number Twelve In the World
Germany has the twelfth best education system in the world as of 2016 as opposed to the United
SPRING 2017 37