A recent study conducted by the Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften and the Joachim-Herz-Stiftung has revealed that students in Germany struggle particularly with math among the STEM fields. According to the MINT-Nachwuchsbarometer 2024, the mathematical abilities of 15-year-olds have decreased by 39 points between 2012 and 2022, equivalent to a competence gap of one full school year. The study’s director, Olaf Köller, attributes this decline to a combination of factors, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in the student population, and the quality of education. Students with a migration background, in particular, face a competence gap of approximately 1.5 school years compared to their peers without a migration background.
One concerning trend highlighted in the study is the increase in the proportion of students with low academic performance, rising from 17% to 29%, while the percentage of high-achieving students has halved to 9%. Köller expresses more concern over the larger group of academically weak students, totaling around 210,000 individuals aged 15, who may face challenges in pursuing further education or entering the workforce. The decline in academic standards over the past decade is not limited to math but also extends to reading skills, partly influenced by the lowered expectations and increased pressure on students.
Effective math education, according to Köller, should engage students cognitively through thought-provoking tasks and real-life scenarios. He suggests that tasks involving collaborative problem-solving, such as financial planning or analyzing COVID-19 vaccination data, can make math more relevant and interesting for 15-year-olds. However, the implementation of such innovative teaching methods faces challenges, as teacher training programs often do not adequately prepare educators to incorporate these approaches into their teaching practices.
Despite the economic opportunities and demand for skilled professionals in STEM fields, such as math, technology, and engineering, the perception remains that mathematics is a difficult subject, deterring many students, especially women, from pursuing related careers. Köller emphasizes the importance of promoting the practical applications of STEM subjects and breaking gender stereotypes to attract more diverse talent to these fields.
While men are more likely to pursue well-paying jobs in STEM fields, dropout rates among MINT students have increased significantly, with 50% of students now dropping out of their programs, compared to 15% in 2012. Overwhelmment with course workload, particularly in math, is cited as a common reason for dropping out. In vocational training programs, dropout rates are around 30%, often due to a lack of discipline and persistence among apprentices.
Looking at the broader education landscape in Germany, Köller anticipates continued disappointments in the next decade, citing ongoing challenges with integrating immigrant students and inadequate support for academically weaker students. He emphasizes the need for a comprehensive educational agenda to address systemic issues and improve educational outcomes, highlighting the urgency of investing in teacher training, leveraging digital tools, and rethinking educational strategies to enhance student learning and performance.
