Education
Schooling
Rhineland-Palatinate is characterised by an efficient and diverse school system, which makes the state an attractive educational location. With the growing importance of education and knowledge, the individual educational success of pupils must be further strengthened and the pedagogical and organisational concepts must continue to be adapted to the needs and interests of children and young people.
In 2001, the all-day school programme was launched in Rhineland-Palatinate with the aim of improving equal opportunities for children of different backgrounds in education and the compatibility of family and career. Since the 2008/09 school year, it has been possible in all-day schools to obtain the Abitur after 12 years or after 8 years at the Gymnasium: G8GTS instead of 9-year Gymnasium G9.
In 2005, the state reform programme "Future Opportunities for Children - Education from the Very Beginning" was launched, which focuses on intensifying early educational processes.
Rhineland-Palatinate is constantly developing its education system in order to adapt to changing needs and absorb new findings. The Ministry of Education is the main driving force behind this development:
- an increase in the quality of education from day-care centres to vocational training
- individual support in all schools and types of schools as well as an increase in language support, and
- the implementation of the triad agreed at the level of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany "more independence for schools while at the same time setting and fulfilling nationwide educational standards and regularly evaluating schools".
The Education Server Rhineland-Palatinate (www.bildung-rp.de) provides pupils, parents and teachers with a wealth of information on the subject of education, in particular on school types, school and teaching quality, curricula and outline plans as well as on ways of individual support.
The primary school lasts for four years. The secondary school is divided in three different types of schools, the "Realschule Plus" (five or six years), the "Integrierte Gesamtschule" (five to nine years) and the "Gymnasium" (nine years). In this institutions, different dipolmas are achievable.
Vocational education and training
Vocational training in Rhineland-Palatinate generally takes place within the dual system of vocational training. The trainees attend both the company in which they learn the chosen occupation and a vocational school in which theoretical basics are taught. The aim of the dual system is to provide the broadest possible basic vocational training. The training usually lasts 3 years.
VET schools have different types of schools, each with different entry requirements, different thematic orientations and different degree options.
In the 2015/16 school year, a total of 8059 women and 12,330 men started vocational training in Rhineland-Palatinate. Among female trainees in 2015/16, the training occupation of office clerk ranked first among the most popular occupations. In the case of male trainees, it was the apprenticeship occupation of electronics technician.
Study
Rhineland-Palatinate has a dense network of universities and research institutions.
The range of state colleges comprises four universities and one scientific college: TU Kaiserslautern, University of Koblenz-Landau, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, University of Trier, German University of Administrative Sciences
seven universities of applied sciences: HS Bingen, HS Kaiserslautern, HS Koblenz, HS Ludwigshafen, HS Mainz, HS Trier, HS Worms
and two universities within the administration: Mayen University of Public Administration, Edenkoben University of Finance.
In addition, there are other non-governmental, but state-recognised universities. Most recently, over 100,000 students were enrolled at the various universities in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Sources:
Broschüre "Rheinland-Pfalz lädt ein"
Rheinland-Pfalz- Unser Land im Überblick. 2. Auflage. LpB (Hrsg.)
zusammengestellt von Annika Kristeit