The Bavarian Business Association (VBW) is calling for immediate consequences in view of the poor performance of German students in the current PISA study. When it comes to reading, a quarter of 15-year-olds do not meet the minimum requirements, and in mathematics the figure is as high as 30 percent. In order to integrate children from different backgrounds into the education system, daycare centers and primary schools would have to work more closely together.
“We need consistent language support and mandatory language proficiency surveys in daycare centers, said VBW Managing Director Bertram Brossardt on Friday. More educational staff and money are needed for educational institutions that are in socially disadvantaged areas or are particularly challenged when it comes to integrating young people with a migrant background.
The current PISA values are the lowest that have ever been measured. “In view of the worsening shortage of skilled workers, we cannot afford these numbers,” warned Brossardt. Education is the most important resource for remaining internationally competitive as a business location. The state government has taken important steps with the plan to increase the number of German and math lessons in primary school.