German School quality declines further in 2025, reports IW

According to the German Economic Institute (IW), the quality of German schools has continued to deteriorate. This is according to the new IW Education Monitor, which was quoted by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Saturday. “The situation in German schools remains poor and has deteriorated slightly compared to 2024,” IW education expert Axel Plünnecke told the newspaper. In a longer-term comparison, quality scores have even declined significantly.

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According to the report, they are significantly lower in 2025 than in the comparison year 2013 in several key areas: minus 43.7 points for integration and educational opportunities, minus 28.2 points for school quality, and minus 26 points for educational opportunities.

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Plünnecke spoke of a “watershed” around 2015. Until then, the system had improved, but since then it has been going downhill. The main reason for this is the excessive strain caused by high levels of refugee migration, the researcher said.

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Federal Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) referred to the coalition agreement in her statement to the newspaper. A “comprehensive, mandatory language and development assessment for four-year-old children” had been agreed upon. This would allow any need for support to be identified in good time. “Parents play a key role in this,” said the minister.

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The goal is to open up opportunities, not to sanction. “But when children need help and support is not forthcoming, we must find solutions together.” The education policy spokesperson for the Union faction, Anne König, went further. “In case of doubt, we must also consider effective sanctions.” SPD education politician Jasmina Hostert advocated language tests but rejected sanctions: “Support measures must be binding – that is the necessary first step.”

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The Greens advocated nationwide standards. “Language is the key to the world,” said Green Party education expert Anja Reinalter. Mandatory tests make sense, but penalties for parents do not: “It's about getting parents on board, convincing them, and working together to achieve the best for their children.”
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AfD education politician Götz Frömming explained that language tests are important, but the real problem lies in disadvantaged schools where German is hardly spoken at home. “The family environment is important for language acquisition,” he said. “Nothing can replace a functioning family home.”

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