school - Hamburger apprentices are slightly weaker than last year
The first Abitur cohort without special Corona easements performed slightly worse than the cohorts during the pandemic but better than the one before it. According to the school administration, a total of 9,216 Abiturienttes and Abiturienttes achieved a provisional average grade of 2.36.
During the Abitur years with Corona easements, the average grades were reportedly between 2.27 and 2.31, minimally better than in the pre-Corona year 2019, which had a grade of 2.42. The final results are expected to be available at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Similar trends were reported by the school administration in Lower Saxony and Bavaria.
"The students can be proud of what they have achieved," emphasized Senator for Schools Ksenija Bekeris (SPD). For the first time since the current school year, regular pre-Corona rules applied to the final exams nationwide. "Extended processing times for Abitur essays, precise topic selection, and the option to choose tasks in the Mathematics subject were no longer available." Bekeris emphasized that the Corona easements were justified but their withdrawal led to fair results.
Approximately 95% of those who took the Abitur passed. A total of 9,710 students took the Abitur, the same number as in the previous year in 2018. Of the test-takers, 94.9% passed - a decrease from 96.7% the previous year. The average Abitur grade was 2.25 at the Gymnasiums, 2.52 at the Stadtteilschulen, and 2.54 at the Beruflichen Gymnasiums. Around 54% of this year's Abiturienttes were female.
28.6% of Abiturienttes and Abiturienttes achieved a top grade of 1.0, 49.6% a grade of 2.0, and 21.7% a grade below the average note of 3.0. "It's noticeable: 61.3% of the top Abitur grades went to female test-takers, while 54.2% of the lower Abitur grades went to male test-takers," said Bekeris.
Girls have been performing better for years
The fact that girls generally perform better is a trend that has been going on for years and is likely due to individual ambition. "This is a trend that has been lasting among girls for a long time," said Bekeris. Spokesperson Peter Albrecht spoke of an "uneven effort," which is often not as pronounced in boys during the Abitur phase.
The top grade of 1.0 was awarded 234 times at a total of 83 schools. The most 1.0 Abitur diplomas - a total of ten - were issued at the Gymnasium Altona, followed by the Gelehrtenschule des Johanneums in Winterhude, the Marion-Dönhoff-Gymnasium in Blankenese, and the Walddörfer-Gymnasium in Volksdorf.
The best Abitur reports at the state-run Gymnasiums came from Gymnasium Oberalster in Sasel, with a grade of 1.94, Gymnasium Eppendorf with 2.0, and Christianeum in Othmarschen with 2.02. Among the Stadtteilschulen, the Stadtteilschule Winterhude stood out with a grade of 2.10, the Stadtteilschule Bergstedt with 2.31, and the Max-Brauer-Schule in Ottensen/Bahrenfeld with 2.33.
The most frequently chosen subjects in the written Abitur, according to Bekeris, were English, German, and Biology. Chinese and Portuguese were the least requested, only by four or two students respectively. In general, the results in the core subjects German, English, and Mathematics were slightly weaker than the previous year.
CDU-Opposition alarmed by German and Mathematics results
The CDU opposition expressed alarm over the Abitur grades in the subjects German and Mathematics. "Average grades of 2.99 in German and 2.93 in Mathematics are alarming and have once again fallen below last year's results," said the education expert of the faction, Birgit Stöver. The Abitur should certify general university entrance qualification. However, this has been questioned by training institutions and employers for years. The Senate must finally ensure that the basics are taught at primary schools. "Gaps created at primary schools will only be noticeably difficult to close in further education, as the average grade in the German language subject clearly shows."
The chairwoman of the Left faction, Sabine Boeddehausen, accused the school administration of whitewashing the school situation – but there is no reason for that: "Hamburg's school system is neither inclusive nor fair." For years, measures to end educational inequality and the decoupling of origin and school leaving certificate have failed. "Hamburg's Senate must urgently do more for a fair and inclusive education system," demanded Boeddehausen.
- Despite the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, Bavaria also observed similar trends in their Abitur results as Lower Saxony and Hamburg.
- The Cultural Ministers' Conference in Hamburg acknowledged the significance of building a strong foundation in Mathematics education during the school years to prepare students for future challenges.
- Ksenija Bekeris, the Cultural Minister of Hamburg from the SDP, acknowledged the efforts of students during the pandemic and praised their resilience in overcoming the challenges presented by the Coronavirus.
- In Bavaria, the average Abitur grade in Mathematics was observed to be slightly weaker than the previous year, reflecting the impact of the pandemic on education.
- The city of Winterhude in Hamburg, famous for its idyllic green spaces and waterfront, had several schools that performed exceptionally well in the Abitur exams, with a focus on Mathematics.
- In a push for more gender equality in education, Lower Saxony's education policies encourage more girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, following a trend observed in Ksenija Bekeris' remarks about girls performing better in these subjects.
- The contrast in performance between boys and girls in the Abitur exams in Lower Saxony is a topic that has sparked discussions about the need for equitable funding and resources for education in both genders, as advocated by politicians like Sabine Boeddehausen.
