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Deutsche Welle

The country which once prided itself on producing some of the world's leading philosophers and scientists is now struggling to keep up with international education standards. A report by the OECD ranked the school system near the bottom of a list of industrial nations. Germany invests too little on schools and teaching, students get too little instruction time, classes are too full and too few people are finishing university.

A wake-up call has gone out for politicians and educators. From demands for more money and national education policies to debates about all-day schools and the traditional three-tiered school structure, the consensus is that Germany can no longer take the education of its future generations for granted.

From Berlin to Bonn, educators, politicians and parents have recognized they must start doing their part to improve schools. The consequences of failure are imminent: poorly educated students are a burden to the economy while the best and brightest leave for opportunities abroad.

Read more about the education debate in Germany.