Germany Considers Quotas for Immigrant Students Without German Language Skills

Kokcha News Agency: Germany’s Education Minister Karin Prien has highlighted the growing number of children entering the country’s education system without proficiency in the German language. In a recent statement, Prien left open the possibility of introducing quotas for immigrant students in schools, emphasizing that the key issue is ensuring children know German when they start school.

Prien’s remarks, however, have sparked criticism even within the ruling coalition. Speaking to German television WELT, Prien described the quota idea as a “possible model” for schools, referencing a similar system used in Denmark.

The Education Minister stated, “Whether it’s 30% or 40%, I think it’s always sensible to look at the experiences of other countries. The important thing is that children can speak German when they start school,” pointing to the increasing number of children entering the education system without German language skills.

Proposal for Mandatory Language and Development Tests:
Prien also addressed language and developmental issues among children from non-immigrant families, attributing these problems to changes in parental behavior. In an interview with BILD, she mentioned skills such as tying shoelaces, riding a bike, or swimming, which many children now lack.

The ruling coalition supports the introduction of mandatory language and development tests for 4-year-olds nationwide.

Criticism from Opponents:
The first reaction came from Natalie Pavlik, the government’s commissioner for integration issues (Social Democratic Party, SPD), who rejected the idea of quotas. “Germany does not need quotas in classrooms,” Pavlik argued, stating that imbalances in the education system cannot be resolved this way. However, she agreed that every child should be able to speak German.

Jasmine Hostert, the SPD’s education spokesperson, also strongly criticized the minister’s remarks: “I categorically reject the introduction of quotas or similar models. Good education and inclusion are achieved through targeted support, not exclusion,” she said, calling for a focus on strengthening kindergartens.

Concerns from Teachers’ Association:
Stefan Duhl, President of the German Teachers’ Association, described the idea as “reasonable and ideal” but pointed out potential implementation challenges. Duhl noted, “If the number of children in a class who do not speak German or have very limited German reaches 90%, model-based learning falls short, and it becomes harder for children to use German outside the classroom. They still speak their native language in the schoolyard.”