A good 3,200 young people in Saxony remain without a school-leaving certificate

More and more young people in Saxony are leaving school without qualifications. In the 2024/2025 school year, this affected 1,924 boys and 1,286 girls - a total of 3,210 pupils, according to a minor interpellation by the parliamentary group Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) in the state parliament. According to the Education and Science Union (GEW), this is more than ever before.

The "Sächsische Zeitung" and the "Leipziger Volkszeitung" first reported on this. Within one school year, their share rose by around five percent, in a ten-year comparison even by more than a quarter, they said.

Union speaks of a tragedy

GEW Vice President Claudia Maaß called for a change of course - "more support services, more German as a second language, fair equalization regulations for children and young people who do not speak German and more time for teachers to respond to individual pupils". "Every child we lose at school is a tragedy."

Unfortunately, this development is a national trend. Nationwide, around 62,000 school leavers have failed to graduate - that's just under eight percent, and 25 percent of pupils with foreign roots.

More teachers needed for German as a second language

"Anyone who doesn't act now will soon be crying crocodile tears at the ten percent dropout rate. Only better staffing and funding for schools, more highly qualified specialist staff such as teachers for German as a second language, smaller classes and more rather than less school social work will be able to stop this sad development," said Maaß. What is needed is effective support for children and young people with a non-German heritage language and fair equalization regulations in examinations.

Craftsmen's Day calls for more individual support

"Instead of discussing whether school grades are still up to date in Saxony, we should focus on significantly reducing the number of school dropouts," said Uwe Nostitz, President of the Saxon Craftsmen's Day. It is not a question of continually expanding transition systems such as the vocational preparation year. "Instead, schools need to be strengthened - with qualified teaching staff, the best possible equipment and individual support. These measures are a worthwhile investment in education."