Trade unions: lack of teachers responsible for poor Pisa results
"We don't need a second Pisa shock, we finally need a Pisa jolt," said Brand. He sees further reasons for the poor results in the inadequate digitalization of schools, the pandemic-related school closures and the great social inequality in Germany.
The trade union "Education and Science" (GEW) described it as a "scandal" that the dependence of children and young people's school performance on their parents has not decreased for over 20 years. "For decades,Germany has had both an achievement problem and a glaring equity problem," explained GEW board member Anja Bensinger-Stolze.
She also criticized a "blatant lack of staff". "Massive efforts" are needed to recruit many more teachers and specialists. "This issue belongs at the top of the agenda."
The deputy head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Elke Hannack, spoke of "shocking results". The federal and state governments must "finally agree on effective steps for more teachers, more social work and more individual support for young people - immediately". The DGB is now calling on the federal government to set up a special infrastructure fund that can be used to invest heavily in daycare centers and schools, among other things."
The employers' side was also shocked by the Pisa results. The current findings document "the appalling results of education policy", emphasized employer president Rainer Dulger. "If those responsible do not take immediate action now, a loss of competence can no longer be made up for." Dulger called for "an almost revolutionary new start in our education system". Both the current educational standards and the training of teachers should be put to the test.
The employer president called for secure digitalization and individual support for pupils. "We owe that to our children." Dulger emphasized: "These minds are the building material of our future and the engine of our prosperity."
German pupils performed worse than ever before in the Pisa study on international comparisons of learning performance. According to the results published on Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), performance in the areas of mathematics, science and reading literacy deteriorated significantly.
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- Gerhard Brand, expressing concern about the Pisa results, urged for a "Pisa jolt" instead of a second shock, pointing towards digitalization, pandemic-related school closures, and social inequality as contributing factors in Germany.
- GEW, the education and science union in Germany, condemned the persistence of parental impact on children's school performance over the past 20 years as a "scandal".
- Anja Bensinger-Stolze, a GEW board member, highlighted Germany's dual problems of achievement and social inequality, emphasizing the pressing need for more staff, teachers, and specialists in the education sector.
- The deputy head of DGB, Elke Hannack, referred to the Pisa results as "shocking," urging the federal and state governments to take immediate action to provide more teachers, social work, and individual support for young people.
- The DGB, Germany's central trade union federation, called on the federal government to establish a special infrastructure fund for daycare centers and schools to address the poor Pisa results.
- Rainer Dulger, head of the employers' association, termed the Pisa results as "appalling" and urged immediate action, proposing an almost revolutionary overhaul of the education system and scrutiny of current educational standards and teacher training.
- Dulger emphasized the importance of secure digitalization and individual support for pupils, stating that "we owe that to our children" since they are the builders of the future and the driving force of prosperity.
- According to the OECD's PISA study on learning performance, German pupils underperformed in the areas of math, science, and reading literacy, with their results showing a significant decline compared to previous studies.
- In response to the Pisa results, the employers' association criticized the current education policy, warning of a potential loss of competence that could not be recouped if no immediate action was taken.
Source: www.stern.de
