Studierendenwerk demands continuous increase in Bafög

Education - Studierendenwerk demands continuous increase in Bafög

The Deutsches Studierendenwerk has called for the Bafög rates to be continuously adjusted in line with income and price developments. "Members' salaries, pensions, citizens' allowance and housing benefit are regularly increased, but BaföG is not," criticized Matthias Anbuhl, Chairman of the Board of the Studierendenwerk (DSW), in the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers. "This investment in educational justice is systematically disadvantaged."

Anbuhl criticized the fact that the Bafög rate is chronically too low. In contrast, the minimum wage will rise by 41 cents at the turn of the year and the citizen's allowance will also increase from 502 to 563 euros per month. "The basic Bafög requirement continues to stagnate at 452 euros per month - that's 111 euros less than the citizen's allowance," said the DSW chairman.

The Ampel coalition had raised the Bafög rate for students from 427 to 452 euros per month last winter semester. In the coalition agreement, they had resolved to "fundamentally" reform the Bafög and make it "more independent of parents". Among other things, a more regular adjustment of allowances and benefit rates was planned.

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1. In Germany, the minimum wage is set to increase by 41 cents at the start of the new year, while the citizen's allowance will increase from 502 to 563 euros per month.
2. Despite these increases, the basic Bafög requirement of 452 euros per month remains stagnant, which is 111 euros less than the citizen's allowance, according to Matthias Anbuhl, Chairman of the DSW (Deutsches Studierendenwerk).
3. Anbuhl emphasized that while other forms of social support, such as members' salaries, pensions, and housing benefit, are regularly adjusted, Bafög rates are not.
4. The DSW, which is responsible for the student union's finances, criticized this discrepancy, arguing that it amounts to a systematic disadvantage for education investment.
5. The Ampel coalition had previously increased the Bafög rate for students from 427 to 452 euros per month during the winter semester, and had committed to reforming the system to make it more independent of parents and adjusting allowances and benefit rates more regularly.
6. The Deutsches Studierendenwerk continues to advocate for continuous adjustments of Bafög rates in line with income and price developments, emphasizing the importance of financial support for students in universities across Berlin and beyond.

Source: www.stern.de