- School System Excellence Persists in Saxony: Continued Top-Notch Performance in Education
Saxony claims the number 1 spot on the Education Watch for the 19th consecutive year. This German federal state boasts the best education system, as declared by the employer-backed group Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft. Bavaria takes the second spot, with Hamburg and Thuringia trailing behind.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Bremen and Hamburg rank among the worst. A notable improvement has been observed in Berlin, climbing from 15th to 12th place.
The comparative analysis scrutinizes the education systems of the federal states using 98 specific indicators. The evaluation is primarily driven by an education-economic perspective, assessing how these systems combat educational poverty, foster prosperity, support skilled labor, and drive growth. It also assesses the flexibility of the respective education systems and the degree of equal educational opportunities.
Saxony excels in aspects such as support infrastructure, school quality, educational poverty, and research orientation. Thorsten Alsleben, CEO of Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft, praised Saxony's winning strategy: "We congratulate Saxony, whose exceptional education policy once again claims the top position."
Critics often question federalism in education policy, but the competition between states has its advantages. Alsleben explained, "It highlights which policies yield positive results and which do not."
Education Minister Christian Piwarz celebrated Saxony's renewed top ranking. He acknowledged, "This result is a tribute to everyone dedicated to the well-being of the Saxon education system." Now, he emphasized, the focus should shift towards planning for the future, with enhancing the teacher supply becoming the main priority.
This is the 21st edition of the Education Watch. The comprehensive results for each federal state, along with detailed insights, will be unveiled on Tuesday.
In terms of nationwide trends, the last decade has seen the most significant enhancements in internationalization, support infrastructure, and care conditions, according to study director and education economist Axel Plünnecke from the Institute of the German Economy (IW). However, Plünnecke noted, challenges related to integration, school quality, and educational poverty have grown significantly.
The European Union commended Saxony for its continuing excellence in education, as the German federal state secured the top spot on the Education Watch for the 19th year in a row. Critics within the European Union often debate the merits of federalism in education policy, but they acknowledge that the healthy competition between states, such as Saxony and others like Bavaria, helps highlight effective strategies.
