Position paper
CDU organisations call for fundamental reform of Bafög
According to the Federal Statistical Office, a total of 635,600 people received support under the Federal Training Assistance Act – Bafög for short – in 2023. Photo
© Andrea Warnecke/dpa-tmn/dpa
Even though the federal election still seems a long way off, programmatic decisions are already being made behind the scenes. A paper on new education funding is coming from the CDU camp.
The Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT), the Junge Union (JU) and the Ring of Christian Democratic Students (RCDS) are calling for a fundamental reform of the Bafög and German education funding. “The promise that advancement is possible through education is failing more and more frequently due to the financial means of young people and the growth potential of the economy is coming under increasing pressure,” says a joint resolution paper by the three special organizations and divisions of the CDU.
“Education in Germany is underfunded. The inadequate increase in student loans by the traffic light coalition is exacerbating social inequality,” Lukas Honemann, federal chairman of the RCDS, told the German Press Agency. That is why the CDU must make education, and especially education funding, a priority. “An education fund instead of 9.1 percent interest on the KfW loan will help with difficulties in financing education in all situations.”
The two-page paper has been submitted to the German Press Agency in Munich and is likely to be included, at least in part, in the CDU’s federal election manifesto. The CDU election manifesto is to be completed by the beginning of January, assuming the election takes place as planned in September next year.
Demand for special residence allowances
Vocational training support needs regular adjustment of the standard contributions, the paper continues. “The large regional differences in housing costs must be taken into account by a place of residence supplement.” Despite the high inflation of recent years, the BAföG needs rates have not been adjusted since 2022. This, just like the rising housing costs, means that fewer and fewer young people can afford to study.
At least for the coming winter semester, the traffic light coalition has increased both the basic needs and the housing allowance for students. In total, there is an increase from 812 to 855 euros. For schoolchildren, the increase came into effect on August 1st.
National Education Fund and more scholarships
In addition, the three groups are in favor of setting up a new national education fund. This should enable all citizens to finance their education for the duration of a vocational training course, a degree course or further education – regardless of income or assets. However, the money must be paid back in full after graduation.
To improve the financing options, more scholarships from state and private institutions are also needed, the paper says. The scholarships should be as unbureaucratic as possible and regularly adjusted to the inflation rate. The fourth pillar, the paper mentions better interest rates for student loans. “In particular, it must be ensured that interest rates do not become a threat to students’ existence,” it says.