Intense German debate over the proposal to limit the percentage of migrant children in schools
The statements made by German Education Minister Karin Prien sparked widespread controversy after she suggested the possibility of imposing a cap on the percentage of children from immigrant backgrounds in German schools as a means to improve educational standards. However, education expert Kai Mats considered this proposal to be educationally ineffective and questionable from a humanitarian perspective. Mats clarified that Prien's statements were taken out of context. During her participation in a dialogue event, the minister did not directly propose the idea of limiting the percentage of immigrants in schools, but rather spoke about issues such as early language education and the shortage of teaching staff. It was the program host who insisted on the topic of the maximum limit for immigrants, and Prien's response was not a clear endorsement of this idea. Mats criticized the comparisons made with the Danish model, pointing out that Denmark does not have a general cap on immigrants in schools, but rather has controversial urban planning programs that are not directly related to education.
Matz categorically rejected the idea of imposing classes for immigrants in German schools, emphasizing that the social reality in neighborhoods and cities makes such a measure unrealistic and difficult to implement. He pointed out that migration is a multidimensional characteristic and is not related to language proficiency or the proximity of children to the educational environment, noting that there are children of immigrant backgrounds who are fluent in German and children of German backgrounds who struggle with language difficulties. He explained that implementing such classes would mean relocating children to different areas and schools, isolating them from their social environment and creating new problems, stressing that this would require tremendous organizational effort and would not yield any educational benefit.
Matz insisted that Germany is a country of immigration, and that an educational system based on exclusion cannot be built. He considered that educational problems are primarily linked to social and economic factors, not the origins of the students, pointing out that the lack of awareness of the importance of education among some families leads to poor academic achievement. In response to the views of some researchers who believe that distributing students from immigrant backgrounds evenly in classrooms improves educational levels, Matz clarified that the real problem lies in the lack of proficiency in the language of instruction, not in the ethnic origin of the students. He emphasized that having students who do not understand the language complicates the learning process and burdens them, but he stressed that this does not justify imposing discriminatory classes. Matz called for the development of smart ways to deal with diversity, focusing on the social backgrounds of children and their living conditions. He considered that the discussion about determining quotas reduces the problem to one aspect that does not reflect reality.
Matz rejected the idea of imposing a "maximum limit on deprived areas" in the same way, considering it to be in conflict with the German constitution. However, he saw that integrating schools with multiple challenges, as happened in Berlin, could be a useful step to reduce educational discrimination, although he described it as merely a partial solution that requires integration with other policies such as housing and social policy. Regarding practical solutions, Matz emphasized the importance of assessing children's language levels at an early age and providing appropriate support for them, pointing out the need to strengthen early childhood institutions and their role in developing language and social-emotional skills, rather than merely considering them as places for care.
He emphasized the importance of training teachers and providing suitable structural conditions such as reducing class sizes and allowing enough time to ensure the success of language enhancement programs. In response to concerns about a shortage of staff, Mats pointed out that declining birth rates in some German states may contribute in the future to providing better educational opportunities by reducing the number of students, which will give the system a chance to address current crises. In conclusion, Mats stressed the need not to settle for symbolic discussions and to focus on creating fair educational opportunities from early stages, considering that education is a shared societal responsibility, and that solutions should be built on cooperation between states and the exchange of experiences.
He cited the example of the state of Hamburg, which conducts precise tests to assess learning levels and tracks students' progress individually, along with testing children's language abilities at the age of four and a half, and requiring those in need of support to enroll in special classes or kindergartens that provide additional language care. He praised the lessons learned from this model, warning against turning educational policies into mere slogans, and calling for the search for practical and comprehensive solutions that consider the needs of every child regardless of their origin, language, or social status.