Structure of German Education
For children in Germany, it is compulsory to attend school from ages six to fifteen years but many students attend school until age eighteen. Schooling in Germany is free for all students because it is public, meaning it is governed by the government and paid for by the taxpayers. German students start with Greundschule (Primary School) which is the first four years, from age six to ten.[1] Then students go into Lower Secondary from at age ten to sixteen. In the Lower Secondary Education, students are placed in a streaming program which is recommended by the student’s teacher. The Greundschule teacher’s recommendation is based on the student’s academics, personality and work habits; however, it is the parents that have the final say in which education stream their child enters.[2] The streaming is followed through into High Secondary Education, at age sixteen to nineteen years.
There are three types of streaming pathways in the German Educational System: Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule Gymnasium, is the strong academic stream where students are striving for university entrance qualifications. At the end of Gymnasium students write an examination and then graduate with Abitur, allowing them to meet qualifications for German Universities. Realschule, is a little “less demanding academic programme leading to a lower secondary diploma signifying solid academic skills; and Hauptschule, with a programme designed for those deemed to have limited academic ability or interest and culminating in a school leaving certificate.”[4] Students in the Hauptschule and Realschule streams are usually directed into the vocational education system for their Higher Secondary Education, at age fifteen or sixteen. Students striving for the vocational route can go to a full-time vocational school or go into the Dual system.
There is another system called the Gesamtschule but it is only found in some states in Germany. “Gesamtschulen enrols students of all ability levels in the 5th through the 10th grades. Students who satisfactorily complete the Gesamtschule through the 9th grade receive the Hauptschule certificate, while those who satisfactorily complete schooling through the 10th grade receive the Realschule certificate.”[5] The Gesamtschule allows equal access for all students, entering all kinds of schools and is similar to the public school system in Canada.
[1] Kampus Landing Global Education Specialists. Structure of Education System. 2010. http://www.kampuslanding.com/-education-system-structure-germany (accessed April 25, 2013).
[2] An Overview of the German System of Education. http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html (accessed April 13, 2013).
[3] Schwartz, Robert and Kathrin Hoeckel. Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training Germany. September 2010. http://www.deqavet.de/_media/PDF_allgemein/OECD_Learning_for_Jobs_2010_EN.pdf (accessed April 15, 2013). pg 9
[4] Schwartz, Robert and Kathrin Hoeckel. Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training Germany. September 2010. http://www.deqavet.de/_media/PDF_allgemein/OECD_Learning_for_Jobs_2010_EN.pdf (accessed April 15, 2013). pg 9
[5] An Overview of the German System of Education. http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html (accessed April 13, 2013).
There is another system called the Gesamtschule but it is only found in some states in Germany. “Gesamtschulen enrols students of all ability levels in the 5th through the 10th grades. Students who satisfactorily complete the Gesamtschule through the 9th grade receive the Hauptschule certificate, while those who satisfactorily complete schooling through the 10th grade receive the Realschule certificate.”[5] The Gesamtschule allows equal access for all students, entering all kinds of schools and is similar to the public school system in Canada.
[1] Kampus Landing Global Education Specialists. Structure of Education System. 2010. http://www.kampuslanding.com/-education-system-structure-germany (accessed April 25, 2013).
[2] An Overview of the German System of Education. http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html (accessed April 13, 2013).
[3] Schwartz, Robert and Kathrin Hoeckel. Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training Germany. September 2010. http://www.deqavet.de/_media/PDF_allgemein/OECD_Learning_for_Jobs_2010_EN.pdf (accessed April 15, 2013). pg 9
[4] Schwartz, Robert and Kathrin Hoeckel. Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training Germany. September 2010. http://www.deqavet.de/_media/PDF_allgemein/OECD_Learning_for_Jobs_2010_EN.pdf (accessed April 15, 2013). pg 9
[5] An Overview of the German System of Education. http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html (accessed April 13, 2013).
Links for German Education Structure
German Education SystemAn Overview of the German System of Education
http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html
German School System
http://www.flornet.eu/fachschule-fuer-blumenkunst-weihenstephan.html
http://www.kampuslanding.com/-education-system-structure-germany
Basic Structure of German Education
http://www.kmk.org/information-in-english/the-education-system-in-the-federal-republic-of-germany.htmlhttp://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/doc/Dokumentation/Bildungswesen_en_pdfs/en-2012.pdf
Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training - Germany
http://www.oecd.org/germany/45668296.pdf
http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/lspringm/resources/schulsystem.html
German School System
http://www.flornet.eu/fachschule-fuer-blumenkunst-weihenstephan.html
http://www.kampuslanding.com/-education-system-structure-germany
Basic Structure of German Education
http://www.kmk.org/information-in-english/the-education-system-in-the-federal-republic-of-germany.htmlhttp://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/doc/Dokumentation/Bildungswesen_en_pdfs/en-2012.pdf
Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews of Vocational Education and Training - Germany
http://www.oecd.org/germany/45668296.pdf