- Learning Evaluator: Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate Fall into Average Position
According to an annual analysis by the employer-funded Initiative New Social Market Economy (INSM), the education systems in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland score average to above-average. Rhineland-Palatinate excels in areas like internationalization, integration, and vocational education. For example, all primary school pupils were taught foreign languages in 2022. There's also less correlation between social status and academic achievement compared to other states. However, it falls short in research orientation and digitization, landing it in the ninth position among 16 states.
Saarland slightly outperforms with a sixth-place ranking, boasting the highest per-student expenditure in primary schools, almost double the state's average.
Hesse follows in close competition, positioning itself at seventh. The report notes its strengths in integration and funding infrastructure. However, it highlights areas for improvement in internationalization, school quality, and expenditure prioritization.
The report, which analyzes education systems across Germany with 98 indicators, focuses on how these systems combat educational poverty, promote prosperity, support skilled labor, and foster growth. It also examines the permeability of these education systems and the extent to which equal educational opportunities are achieved. INSM is financially supported by the metal and electrical industries' employers' associations.
Saxony comes out on top with the best education system in Germany, followed by Bavaria, Hamburg, and Thuringia. At the bottom are Bremen and Brandenburg, with North Rhine-Westphalia just above.
In the context of the analysis, Rhineland-Palatinate's strength in areas like internationalization, integration, and vocational education, as seen in the teaching of foreign languages to all primary school pupils in 2022, emphasizes the importance of comprehensive education in its education system. On the other hand, Saxony, the state with the best education system in Germany, recognizes the significance of both integration and funding infrastructure in its education system, as highlighted in the report.
