JOINT PRESS RELEASE “Schools must be a priority”

Berlin/Frankfurt. For the employers’ association Gesamtmetall and the labor union IG Metall, the results of the PISA study presented today serve as a warning sign. “Schools must be given the priority that education deserves,” emphasize the collective bargaining partners in the metal and electrical industries. “This applies to general education schools as well as to vocational schools.” 

The study’s results presented today regarding math and science competencies show an even lower level than in previous years, which is particularly alarming. These competencies are essential for the metal and electrical industries, which rely on technological leadership—whether in engineering degree programs or in vocational training for skilled trades within the industry. 

“Education must move beyond empty rhetoric and into real action!” said Gesamtmetall CEO Oliver Zander. “It is unforgivable that schools are not receiving the attention and support they need. Schools require adequate staffing and a sufficient budget, rather than constant experimentation with different school models. We also need minimum educational standards so that we can continuously assess where additional support is needed. Comparability is the foundation for identifying and addressing shortcomings. The Conference of Ministers of Education must present a corresponding master plan for education.” 

Hans-Jürgen Urban, executive board member of IG Metall, called for more support for vocational schools: “The dual vocational training system is admired internationally, yet at the same time, the quality of the school-based component of vocational training is being severely neglected here. The technical equipment at vocational schools is often inadequate, and the staffing situation is also a cause for concern.” Urban: “What’s needed is a major investment push in vocational schools. Investing here means investing in the future!”

Gesamtmetall pointed out that the problems in the school system run far deeper than the current PISA results indicate. “The fact that 50,000 young people leave school each year without a diploma is an intolerable situation. We must address the needs of these young people in a timely manner,” Zander continued.