DOCUMENT RESUME ED 120 094 -25- SO 009 034 TITLE The Educational System of the German Democratic Republic: Education around the World. INSTITUTION Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, D.C. REPORT NO DREW -OE -75 -19116 PUB DATE 75 NOTE 21p. AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (stock No. 017-080-01408-4, $0.45) EDRS PRICE MF -$0.83 HC-$1.67 Plus Postage DESCRIPTORS Communism; *Comparative Education; *Educational Development; Educational Objectives; *Educational Practice; Educational Programs; Elementary Secondary Education; *Foreign Countries; Foreign Culture; Higher Education; School Organization; *School Systems; Vocational Education IDENTIFIERS *East Germany ABSTRACT This description of the educational system of the German Democratic Republic provides readers interested in comparative education with an overview of the system's organization, fundamental concepts, and objectives since the revision of its structure following World War II. Brief statistical informationon the country and its people is followed by an introductory sectionon the historical developments-leading to the establishment of theGerman Democratic Republic. After a summary of the basic aspects of its current educational system, more detailed descriptions of the various educational levels are provided, including (1) elementary and' secondary education, (2) engineering institutes and technical schools,(3) higher education, and (4) teacher education. Educational influences outside the formal educational structureare also mentioned. Throughout the study educational terms in Germanare placed in parentheses following their English equivalents. Whenno precise English equivalent exists for a German educational concept, this is explained. A map and several graphs and tablesserve to illustrate the text. A selected glossary of German educational terms and a selected reading list are provided at the end of the. article. (MK) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * * materials not available from other sources. 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Reproductions * * supplied by MRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** U S DEPARTMENT DF HEALTH, EDUCATION a WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY a S I A AM_ THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE Location:North-Central Europe between the FederalPeople: An ethnically homogeneous German population Republic of Germany and the Polish People's Republic. with a small Slavic minority known as Sorbt, located Size: 41,760 square mile. primarily in the southeastern districts. Main Subdivisions:14 administrative Districts (Bezirke), each divided int- counties.East Berlin, the capital ofOfficial Language: German, spokenbyvirtuallyall the country, is considered a separate (15th) administra- people, including the small Sorbic minority, which is tive district. generally bilingual. Population:17,042,000 (fall 1971). Literacy:Well over 90 percent. THE BASIC SYSTEM for the Western occupation zones was promulgated by the German Parliamentary Council with the Historic1.14 Background approval of the Western powers, which ledto The portion of Germany that is now the Germanestablishment of the Federal Republic of Germany Democratic Republic (GDR) or East GermanyinSeptember.InOctobertheSovietUnion was establishedin1945 asthe Soviet Zone ofannounced establishment of the German Democratic Occupation. Although World War II agreementsRepublic in its zone, with a constibition adopted on among theAllieshad specifiedthat GermanyOctober 7, 1949. would be governed as aunit,basicdifferences At the end of the war, education in Germany betweenthethreeWesternoccupationpowershad come to a standstill. Germany, however,pos- (Frailt,.!, Great Britain, and the United States) onsessed a literate population and a highly developed Or)the one hand and the Soviet Union on the othereducational system.Like other Western European 0 led to a split among the powers and theiroccupa-systems, it was characterized by early separation of tion policies and procedures.In 1948 the Sovietprograms leading to higher education from those Union withdrew from the four-power occupationleading to trades. agencies. In May 1949, a Basic Law (constitution) Before1920academicsecondaryschoolsin v P 1 GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC WITH ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICTS (BEZIRKE) Baltic Sea ROSTOCK SCHWERIN Poland NEUBRANDENBURG Federal Republic of Germany BERLIN POTSDAM FRANKFURT (OVER) MAGDEBURG COTTBUS HALLE. LEIPZIG eDRESDEN GERA. KARL-MARX. STADT SUHL Czechoslovakia ' West Berlin Source: Ruediger Thomas, Modell DDR: Die kalkulierts Emanzipation (Muenchen: Karl Hanser Verlag, 1972), p. 5. 2 3 Germany often had their own preparatory sectionsaged 6 to 16.It led to advanced secondary educa- so that students in this track could complete theirtion and vocational training. entire education without sharing school experiences with children in other types of schools.In 1920,Structure under the Weimar Republic, a law was passed The key element in the educational system is the requiring all children to attend thefirst 4 years 10-yeargeneralpolytechnicalsecondaryschool, (Grundschule) of the common elementary schoolhereaftercalledthe10-yearschool, compulsory (Volksschule). The basic educational system thenfor all children beginning at age 6.It is preceded consisted of the 4-year Grundschule followed byby the kindergarten for children aged 3 to 6, and three major tracks consisting respectively of thethe nursery (Krippe) for children below age 3. following schools: The 10-year schoolleadsto either a 2-year extended secondary school designed to prepare for 1. The upper elementary school(grades 5-8),higher .:ducation, a 3-year vocational school that which was followed by an apprenticeship withprovides both professional and academic. qualifica- accompanying attendance at a part-time voca-tions, or a 2-year vocational school leading to the tionalschool(Berufsschule), usuallylastingtrades. A 3-year vocational school is provided for for 3 years and leading directly to a trade.students who leave the10-year school after the Before World War II th;.., track enrolled abouteighth grade. 80 percent of the pertinent age group. Special schools and classesfor physically and 2. The middle school(usuallygrades5-10),mentally handicapped and disturbed children paral- which was designed to lead to occupations (e.g.,lel the 10-year school. A small number of specialized secretarial)that did not require the highlyschools are also provided for children who are academic education of the secondary school.exceptionally talented in a subject or field, such as The middle school generally enrolled aboutmathematics, music, or sports. 5 percent of the age group. Higher educationconsistsofuniversitiesand 3. The academic secondary school (Gymnasium)other institutionsoftertiary rank that provide (grades5-13), whichledtotheschool- undergraduate and advanced education in all major leaving certificate known as the Reifezeugnis fields.Engineering institutes and technical schools orAbitur.Thisqualifiedtheholderforoccupy an intermediate position between secondary universitymatriculation.Threetypesofand higher education and serve as a stepping-stone secondary schools were generally offeredfrom the 'former to the latter as well as providing (1)classical, emphasizing Latin and Greek,access to numerous technical professions. A com- (2) modern language, and (3) mathematics-prehensive system of "People's Colleges" (Volkshoch- science. Originally limited to the classical type,schulen), factory academics, and village academies the term Gymnasium was ultimately appliedprovides opportunities fnr adults to continue their to all three.Enrollments in the Gymnasiumeducation after entering the world of work. comprised about 15 percent of the age group. Language of Instruction German is the language of instruction throughout After World War II East Germany, led by the the GDR. The small Sorbic minority in the south- Socialist Unity Party (SED: Sozialistische Einheits- easterndistricts,however, generallyprovidesa partei Deutsch lands), a union of the Communistbilingual education in Sorbic and German during Party and elements of the Socialist and Social-the early years of schooling. Democratic Parties, started to revise the educational structure.Thisrevision,stronglyinfluencedbyAcademic Calendar Soviet models and experience, eliminated the tradi- The school year begins in September and con- tional three-track pattern. The first step was takentinues to the following July, with a long vacation in1946 with establishment of a comprehensive,of about 6 weeks in July and August. Shortvaca- 8-year elementary school beginning at age 6, fol-tions are scheduled during harvest periods, the lowed by a 4-year academic secondary school andChristmas season, and spring. vocational schools.In 1959 a new type of school,