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School losers in Ludwigshafen: Children are already fighting in elementary school!
Professor Dr. Havva Engin addresses the challenges of early childhood education in Germany in an ARD documentary.
School losers in Ludwigshafen: Children are already fighting in elementary school!
In an ARD documentary entitled “School Losers – Already Left Behind in Elementary School?” addresses Professor Dr. Havva Engin from the Heidelberg University of Education describes the alarming situation in early childhood education in Germany. Your reference to the dramatic situation describes that at the Gräfenau elementary school in Ludwigshafen, a third of the first graders have to repeat the first grade. These facts reflect the challenges that have increased in German primary schools in recent decades.
Engin emphasizes that school classes are becoming increasingly diverse. More and more children are starting school without the necessary knowledge of German and are showing a growing number of difficulty concentrating and behavioral problems. These findings are based on results from a nationwide survey of teachers that underscore the need for fundamental reforms in early childhood education.
Need for change
Engin calls for comprehensive and sustainable changes to improve early childhood education. She emphasizes that children must be well prepared emotionally, cognitively, motorically and linguistically in order to be successful at school. To meet this need, investments in pre-school education are essential. This includes programs, diagnostic instruments and the qualification of specialists.
Particularly relevant programs such as “StartChances BW” and “SprachFit” are intended to initiate a paradigm shift in early childhood education. From the 2025/26 school year, “SprachFit” will record the language level of all 4.5-year-olds in Baden-Württemberg and offer appropriate language support.
International perspectives
The recommendations include improving working conditions for educational professionals and increasing government spending on preschool education. In addition, topics such as peace education and education for sustainable development should be integrated into early childhood education. Dr. Roman Luckscheiter, Secretary General of the German UNESCO Commission, presented current challenges and developments in Germany during the conference.
Professor Engin, who heads the Heidelberg Center for Migration Research and Transcultural Pedagogy, is part of the expert panel that provides scientific support for the funding concept. Her commitment and research on linguistic-cultural diversity and inclusion in German educational institutions are crucial for the future direction of early childhood education in Germany.
The challenge now is to effectively implement the above suggestions and programs to reduce educational disadvantage and ensure a better start for all children.