Educational justice: A call for equal opportunities for everyone!

Educational justice: A call for equal opportunities for everyone!

In Germany, educational equality has become a central social issue. It is seen as crucial for social advancement and the participation of all people. The ideal of absolute equality must be viewed as unattainable. Educational equity means that every person, regardless of origin, gender or financial situation, has the same opportunities in the education system. tum.de reports that... True, educational opportunities begin in kindergarten and continue into professional life.

Nevertheless, it is clear that children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds are disadvantaged in the education system. According to the Opportunities Monitor 2023, boys are underrepresented in high schools in Germany, which further increases inequality. In its 2018 education report, the OECD found that academic success depends heavily on social background. Low-qualified parents have a negative impact on their children's educational opportunities, while migrant backgrounds have less influence than originally assumed. forum-verlag.com points out that… The social environment therefore plays a fundamental role in the development of educational opportunities.

Causes of educational inequality

The causes of educational inequality are diverse. These range from gender, ethnic and social origin to economic and health conditions. The role of religious or political views is also considered. For this reason, it is important that the state takes measures to create a level that enables equal opportunities so that talented people are not disadvantaged by their circumstances. Investing in education is considered to make economic sense because every euro invested in education has long-term positive effects, such as tum.de explains.

Educational inequality is also reinforced by structural factors such as school offerings and conditions. Half-day schools, for example, promote unequal opportunities, and there are calls to promote the expansion of all-day schools. These could help to combat educational injustice more effectively. In addition, socially disadvantaged schools need financial support and special educational assistance for parents in order to improve their children's starting situations. The pedagogy specialist portal states that... A comprehensive concept to promote equal opportunities must, above all, integrate early childhood education and language support.

Political measures and social discourse

The federal government has set itself the goal of sustainably improving educational equality. The StartChances program from 2024 is intended to provide support to socially disadvantaged schools in particular in order to reduce educational injustice. Social discourse about the need for further action is crucial to question the status quo and make progress.

Another challenge is the stagnation in the school dropout rate, which has been around 6 percent since 2011. Around 47,500 young people ended their school career in 2021 without a secondary school leaving certificate, which underlines the urgency of further measures to improve educational equality. The path to greater educational equality in Germany is a promising but also demanding undertaking that requires a broad social and political effort.