The unimaginable confusion regarding the timeframes for obtaining a diploma in Germany has already led to sad results
Roman Herzog, who served as President of Germany until 1999, called the long path to the diploma 'stolen time from life.' And indeed, German schoolchildren – from entering first grade to finishing gymnasium – spend a full 13 years at their desks!
Compared to other European countries, this is an eternity! Consequently, young people in Germany start university too late (which they also have to finish) and find a job in their newly acquired specialty only by the age of 30.
A number of states decided long ago to shorten the 'thorny path to the stars,' especially since on the territory of the former GDR, a 12-year school was already the norm. But in the west of the country, the G8 path seemed an insurmountable obstacle. The first to decide to introduce this model was Saarland in 2001, and six years later, most states allowed the organization of 8-year gymnasiums.
'The grades of graduates who completed schools under the G8 or G9 model are practically indistinguishable,' says Saarland's Minister of Education Klaus Kessler. But not all politicians are convinced of the advantages of a short path to the diploma. For instance, in Rhineland-Palatinate, G8 was allowed only in 17 full-day schools (Ganztagsschulen).
'It is impossible to obtain a full gymnasium education in 8 years without a reduction in quality,' is convinced the minister of education of this state, Doris Ahnen. 'Over 9 years, students will have significantly more time for study and consolidation of knowledge, as well as for personal development.'
Moreover, the G8 model requires more teachers and classrooms for its organization, the ministry calculated, allowing Turbo-Abitur to be organized only in a few schools.
The fact that G8 gymnasium students are significantly more burdened than other peers and spend a lot of time on homework is confirmed by numerous scientific studies. Such children more often suffer from headaches, and their parents pay more for tutoring services, a study commissioned by the state of Saarland showed. That is why parent associations in the south of the country have repeatedly appealed to state authorities demanding the cancellation of the 'sadistic' model and saving children from insane overload.
Since many politicians simply do not know which model to prefer, both are organized in a number of states. For example, in Schleswig-Holstein, gymnasium directors themselves decide which path their students will take. In addition, both options can exist simultaneously for students in different grades. And in Baden-Württemberg, where only G8 is officially allowed today, the 'green-red' government also intends to introduce a 'choice model.'
The unimaginable confusion regarding the timeframes for obtaining a diploma in Germany has already led to sad results. This year, gymnasiums in Bavaria and Lower Saxony were simultaneously graduated by both G8 and G9 graduates. And as a result, the number of applicants competing for places in the country's universities has sharply increased.
Almost 500,000 young people are storming German universities this year. For comparison: in 2005, there were only 360,000 applicants. The number of places in German universities has hardly changed.