Association voices concerns over perceived surge in high marks in education sector - Union of Educators voices concern over extensive floodings in Einer-Abis
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There is growing concern about a trend of grade inflation in Germany's Abitur (university entrance qualification exam), as an increasing number of top (one-point) graduation grades are being awarded. The German Teachers' Association and the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) have warned that this trend risks devaluing the Abitur as a credential, potentially disadvantaging truly hardworking students and masking knowledge gaps among graduates.
CDU Bundestag member Christoph Ploß has criticized the growth in one-point Abiturs, calling it a "shame to the really hardworking" and suggesting that such inflation does not help those with knowledge deficits. The Teachers' Association president Stefan Düll has similarly expressed concern about the growing number of high grades, fearing a decline in the Abitur’s value.
However, there is some disagreement or nuance in the public debate. The Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture reported that data does not confirm a clear trend toward grade inflation, indicating that the proportion of top grades had slightly decreased at times. Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister of Education, Sven Teuber, stated that high grades are acceptable if based on genuine performance, downplaying fears that more good grades necessarily mean inflation.
In Hesse, 5.1% of Abitur students achieved an average of 1.0 this year, compared to 2.9% in 2020. There has been an increasing trend in the years 2021 to 2024, with more than 4% each year. In Bavaria, the proportion was around 35 percent in 2021 and 2022, higher than in subsequent years. However, the German Abitur statistics for the federal state of Bavaria do not show a clear trend in the top Abitur grade of 1.0 in the last five years, with approximately 30% of students reaching this average in 2023 and 2024.
The Teachers' Union has not expressed specific concerns regarding the federal states of Saxony or Hesse. The Saxon Ministry of Education reported a decrease in students achieving the top Abitur grade of 1.0 this year, with 402 students in 2024 and 353 in the current year. The Rheinische Post has not reported on any significant changes in the top Abitur grade of 1.0 in any federal state other than Saxony and Hesse. The Berlin Ministry of Education's data on the top Abitur grade of 1.0 in 2025 is not yet available.
While data interpretation varies, key educational stakeholders like the Teachers' Association and the CDU publicly express concern about grade inflation in the Abitur and advocate safeguarding its academic integrity to avoid devaluation. The editor-in-chief of Stern, Gregor Peter Schmitz, sends a free newsletter every Wednesday with important content from the Stern editorial team.
[1] Based on dpa research.
- Amidst the concern about grade inflation in Germany's Abitur, some community leaders like the Teachers' Association and the CDU are advocating for vocational training as an alternative education-and-self-development path, fearing that the devaluation of the Abitur could hinder the academic advancement of truly hardworking students.
- A growing number of policymakers, including CDU Bundestag member Christoph Ploß, are calling for more attention to be given to vocational training in politics, with a general news outlet reporting that this shift in focus could help address knowledge gaps among students and provide equal opportunities for those who may not excel in academic settings.
