Inequality in Education Deepens in Germany

The latest Global Education Report published by UNESCO highlights significant weaknesses in equality of opportunity within Germany’s education system. According to the report, nearly four in five children from affluent families are able to progress to academically oriented schools, while the figure falls to below one in three among disadvantaged pupils. Students with a migrant background are also more frequently channelled into vocational education.

Germany lags behind other European countries in terms of educational equity. The report points to the early tracking of pupils into different school types, with decisions strongly influenced by parents’ socio-economic status, as a key factor driving inequality. Even when recommended for academic pathways, 17 per cent of children from disadvantaged families opt not to attend academically oriented secondary schools.

The data further show that income-related disparities directly shape educational choices. In 2022, more than one third of pupils from low-income families attended lower academic tracks, compared with 68 per cent of those from more affluent households who enrolled in academically oriented schools. Even at similar levels of achievement, pupils from privileged backgrounds are more likely to transfer into higher academic institutions.

The report also identifies students with a migrant background as one of the groups most affected by educational inequality. Their outcomes vary significantly depending on the age at which they arrive in Germany. Around half of those arriving before the age of six achieve either a vocational qualification or an upper secondary certificate, while this share drops to 38 per cent among those arriving between the ages of 14 and 18.