Abitur after twelve years

The high school after the 12th grade (also eight -year Gymnasium, known as the G8 or GY8 ) is the result of education reform at the high school in Germany. Shortening the school until graduation from the previous thirteen to twelve years now has been introduced in almost all provinces. Only in Rhineland -Palatinate, it remains so far in a model experiment to 19 all-day schools, during regular school hours at secondary schools through high school still takes about twelve and a half years.

Purpose of the reform

The main argument for the introduction of the shortened school days to other countries comparatively long duration of the school is headed. The graduates should therefore be possible by the school shortening, a year earlier to begin vocational training and earn according to a year earlier money. The economy should be able to fall back on a year younger than average Entry Level Gymnasium or completed higher education.

Society as a Whole or economic perspective is expected to increase due to demographic aging, the working lives of the people living in Germany. This effect is to be achieved not only by a later entry into the pension, but also by an earlier entry into professional life.

Prerequisite for these effects in particular that the number of sit still not increased by the compression of instruction and that the minor graduates pushing rapidly to the universities and the labor market. Initial feedback from the universities suggest that the ability to study the freshmen has suffered due to the change.

Historical Background and Introduction

The date nine -year Gymnasium (Class 5-13 ) was in the Weimar Republic after the obligatory four-year primary school, introduced instead of the previously most usual three-year preschool for all children. During the period of National Socialism, the higher school was shortened to twelve years by decree of 30 November 1936. Background of this scheme was the desire to significantly upgrade the German Wehrmacht by the then previously available to cadets.

After the war, the newly founded GDR held mainly from educational theory, but also for ideological reasons at the secondary school leaving certificate after twelve classes fixed. The high school was for a few students on the Advanced high school after twelve years of schooling and are stored with Saturday classes (Abitur rate: 10 percent). Another option was the three years of vocational training to high school.

The Federal Republic of Germany Founded in 1949, returned to high school after 13 years.

After the reunification of the new states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania and Saxony -Anhalt resulted due to the high weekly hour requirements of the Standing Conference gradually thirteen classes through high school one. Only the Free States of Saxony and Thuringia were at high school after twelve years.

The other new and all the old federal states joined the from 2003 and led the twelve -year-old high school (again) a, Rhineland- Palatinate, however. Merely as a pilot to 19 all-day schools

After sustained criticism the introduction of the 12-year baccalaureate was partially withdrawn from 2013. In Lower Saxony, the conversion to G9 was decided in March 2014 from the school year 2015/2016. More powerful students should have the option of deviating after twelve years, drop the high school. In comprehensive schools generally no reduction to 12 years was carried out. In Hesse, a choice has been decided. The school council decision thereon G8 or G9.

Implementation

Before the change was requested that the shorter school years should not lead to a reduction in quality of the baccalaureate. The Ministers of Education (KMK ) was equal to, by, unchanged left the number of weekly hours that are required for the acquisition of a university with a total of 265 weekly lessons per year, but this aufteilte now at 12 years of schooling instead of 13. Despite the loss of a school year continues, all content is taught, which previously represented the amount of substance for 13 school years.

Result was a significant increase in weekly hours for the students with a shortened school days: Did students of nine -stage high school for nine years divided undergo an average of 30 hours per week, students of the eight-stage high school must demonstrate an average of 33 hours per week. Practice because parents, teachers and students organizations partly strong criticism. The 265 years hours per week are distributed differently depending on the state of the grades. In order to avoid an excessive number of hours younger students, the hours are often divided so that students and less in older age groups have in the lower grades students more than 33 hours a week. So timetables come about with up to 36 hours a week.

Criticism and controversy

During the transition to G8 isolated voices were raised demanding a cancellation of lesson content in favor of a lower number of weekly hours. The Association for Education of Lower Saxony pointed out that in the case of a deletion of entire subjects in higher grades especially threatened by this one-sided to the detriment of arts subjects and religion. Even an expansion of the teaching on the Saturday, as suggested by the former Hamburg Senator for Education Alexandra Dinges - Dierig and early to mid-1970s, common in West Germany, was discussed. The Union for Education and Science ( GEW) described the Saturday classes as " hostile to the family nonsense." Criticism is also expressed regarding the afternoon's supply of pupils: Unlike in Germany, the schools in other European countries are all designed as all-day schools with canteen and offer afternoon significantly more funding opportunities than in Germany. In a first reaction, the Ministers of Education ( KMK ) have agreed to " more time for individual practice ."

It is criticized further that, contrary to original protestations partially taking place to streamline the curriculum. So the topic of National Socialism in high school to be dealt with only in seven school hours as designed by the Ministry of Culture in Bavaria. A particular problem is the high stress experienced by young people through the G8 reform. Many high school students have little or no spare time, they have to give up hobbies such as music lessons and sports clubs in order to survive in the school.

View

In Hesse and Schleswig -Holstein a parallel development to maintain the longer school days is recorded. It is the future, depending on the school site the opportunity as before take the school leaving examinations only after nine years of schooling.

In Hesse, in the fall of 2013, a black -green coalition launched (Cabinet Bouffier II). The new Culture Minister Ralph Alexander Lorz announced by the 107 high schools in the country would probably only 31 pure G8 schools be. 22 G8 left high schools wanted in the school year 2014/15 to switch back to G9.

In North Rhine- Westphalia schools could apply for the end of 2010, as part of a school experiment to upgrade again from eight to nine years. The application presented by the end of the application period (30 December 2010) 13 of the 630 high schools in North Rhine -Westphalia.

In Baden- Württemberg, a pilot project to reintroduce the G9 at 22 schools was started in the school year 2012/13. A further 22 schools participated in the school year 2013 / 14th The pilot runs 7 years ( until the first year class reached 11 ) and starts meanwhile every year in class 5 Following the pilot -G9 -student course level in Class 12-13 (11-12 for G8 visit along with students of the G8 ). Thus, the model experiment for the first year 2021/22, but to be completely finished until the years 2026/27 and 2027/28, when the last model year transitions to finish school.

The state of Lower Saxony decided in 2014 to turn away from the G8 to the school gymnasium 2015 / 16th