Hamburg comes third in Education Monitor 2024

As a long-distance runner for better education, Hamburg has set the right priorities for many years. The early and consistent expansion of all-day schooling has led to intense support for pupils," says Peter Golinski, Managing Director for Education, Labour Market and Skilled Workers at Nordmetall and AGV Nord. Around 98.6 per cent of primary school pupils attended an all-day school in 2022, similar to secondary schools and is almost twice the federal average (49.5 per cent). The first place in internationalisation is also excellent, with 98.8 per cent of primary school pupils and just under 85.9 per cent of vocational school pupils receiving foreign language instruction. The proportion of new apprenticeship contracts is also above the national average (71.9 per cent). The pupil-teacher ratio has also developed well, ranking second in the Education Monitor 2024.

However, the quality of education and schools has not lived up to expectations. More emphasis is needed on basic skills i.e.,  maths, reading and listening comprehension, which are crucial for a successful transition into working life. “Systematic language assessment before primary school and language support for immigrants are the foundations of success later on and should be offered earlier and more intensely,” Golinski stressed. However, Hamburg has shown that the “decline in education and the lack of opportunities”, particularly for pupils with a migrant background, is not limited to big cities.
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