Germany has implemented a relatively egalitarian system of compulsory and free primary and secondary education, with a low private school ratio compared to many other countries. Despite this, learning outcomes have been declining rapidly in recent years. Data from the 2022 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) showed that Germany’s performance in mathematics and reading fell to its lowest level since the measurement began in 2000. The IQB (Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen) report, published on October 16, 2025, showed that the performance of 9th-grade students in mathematics and biology, chemistry, and physics in Germany has declined significantly compared to 2018. The results confirm the decline already signaled by the 2022 PISA data (https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Laender-Regionen/Internationales/Thema/bevoelkerung-arbeit-soziales/bildung/PISA2022.html).
The IQB found a decline of approximately 24 points in mathematics compared to 2018, with similar declines in science subjects (biology, chemistry, physics). This difference equates to a learning loss of approximately one academic year. According to the report, 24% of 9th-grade students fail to meet the minimum standards for the Secondary School Diploma (MSA) in mathematics, 25% in chemistry, 16% in physics, and 10% in biology (https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/lernruckstand-in-ganz-deutschland-neue-bildungsstudie-zeigt-dramatischen-absturz-in-mathe-und-naturwissenschaften-14582699.html).
Saxony and Bavaria perform best, while some states lag significantly behind the federal average. Hamburg has been the state that has maintained its relatively good results despite the nationwide decline (https://www.news4teachers.de/2025/10/iqb-bildungstrend-2024-das-ranking-so-schneiden-die-einzelnen-bundeslaender-ab/). The proportion of private schools in Germany remains relatively low. Approximately 5.3% of primary school students attend private schools, while the proportion of private schools across all school levels is around 7% (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.PRIV.ZS?locations=DE). Across OECD countries, the proportion of private schools is approximately 12% at primary school, 15% at secondary school, and 20% at upper secondary school (https://www.diw.de/de/diw_01.c.453944.de/publikationen/weekly_reports/2009_29_1/private_schools_in_germany__attendance_up__but_not_among_the_children_of_less_educated_parents.html). Therefore, it can be said that Germany maintains its predominantly public school system and ranks below many comparable countries in terms of the prevalence of private schools.
The IQB-2024 results indicate that Germany’s public-based education model, which it has prided itself on for decades, has reached a serious alarming threshold. Learning losses of up to an academic year in math and science are a reflection not only of the pandemic but also of long-accumulating structural problems. Teacher shortages, curriculum differences between states, digital infrastructure deficiencies, and socioeconomic inequalities have now formed a mutually reinforcing cycle.
Plans announced at the federal level highlight increasing the teacher supply (https://www.kmk.org/themen/allgemeinbildende-schulen/lehrkraefte/lehrkraeftebedarf.html), restructuring school hours (https://www.schulministerium.nrw/presse/pressemitteilungen/iqb-bildungstrend-2024-nordrhein-westfalen-hat-einen-klaren-kompass-fuer), and support programs specifically for language learners. Some states, such as Hamburg and Saxony, have launched initiatives to increase the emphasis on mathematics in the curriculum and address learning gaps through individualized monitoring. However, for these efforts to yield lasting results, a common nationwide quality and monitoring system is needed (https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/lehrermangel-deutschland-bildung-100.html).
Germany still has one of the world’s most inclusive education systems. However, current indicators indicate that structural renewal is needed to sustain this success. From the perspective of Academic Solidarity, this decline in education is a critical signal not only in terms of pedagogy but also in terms of social equality and fairness of opportunity. Declining performance in public schools may drive more people to private schools. Bearing the social burden on Germany’s education is the shared responsibility not only of teachers but also of local governments, universities, and civil society.
