- Ifo survey assesses evaluation scores for Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt in Maue category
Residents of Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia have expressed modest contentment with the educational institutions in their respective states. Based on the Ifo Education Barometer, these two states gave their schools an average score of 3.17 each, placing them near the bottom of the nationwide rankings. Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt were surpassed by Bremen, which scored a dismal 3.50. It's noteworthy that a bordering state occupies one of the top spots: The Saxons rated their schools with an average score of 2.94, making them the third best in the country, behind only Bavaria (2.77) and Hamburg (2.92).
The Ifo Institute for Economic Research conducted surveys from April to June, questioning around 9,700 individuals across Germany. The responses were representative at the state level, and a significant majority of respondents in both Saxony-Anhalt (81%) and Thuringia (85%) agreed that state education funding should increase.
When asked about the potential impact of "migration on future student performance", 74% of Thuringia respondents chose the options "rather negative" or "strongly negative". In Saxony-Anhalt, 68% of participants held the same opinion.
In regards to introducing a "constitutional quarter-hour" in all general schools, where lessons on fundamental laws or the constitution would replace regular classes, 49% of Thuringia respondents were in favor, while 36% were against and 16% were neutral. Similar results were observed in Saxony-Anhalt: 46% of respondents leaned towards the idea, while 39% were against and 16% remained undecided.
Another study, another perspective
The findings from the Ifo Barometer differ slightly from those of a recent education study in the federal states: In the annal comparative study released by the Initiative New Social Market Economy (INSM) at the end of August, Saxony was ranked first, Thuringia fourth, and Saxony-Anhalt eleventh. However, in the INSM Education Monitor, which evaluates the education systems using 98 indicators, Bremen once again falls at the bottom of the list.
Despite the modest contentment in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, their educational institutions struggle to keep up, as demonstrated by their low scores in the Ifo Education Barometer. Interestingly, Bremen, a bordering state, outperformed both, scoring a dismal 3.50.
