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Abitur after twelve years, or Gymnasium in eight years (G8 or Gy8) describes the reduction of the time spent at a university-preparatory high school from nine school years to eight school years, by having the students take more classes each year. It is implemented in many States of Germany. In the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the reduction meant a change from seven years to six years spent in high school because in these states primary education continues until Class 6. In Saxony and Thuringia it is already a long established norm to take the Abitur after twelve years. The principal argument for the reduction is the comparatively long times for vocational education in Germany.
Some federal states, chiefly in the former Federal Republic of Germany, have already reversed the reform even though sound academic insights into its effects are scarce.
Year of reform by state
State | Introduction | Previously in effect |
---|---|---|
Baden-Württemberg | abolished final G8 graduating cohort in 2031 |
2012 until 2031 |
Bavaria | abolished | 2012 until 2024 |
Berlin | yes (2012- ) | 1949 until 2000 (East Berlin) |
Brandenburg | yes (2012- ) | 1949 until 2000 |
Bremen | yes (2012- ) | |
Hamburg | yes (2010- ) | |
Hesse | yes (2013- ) (choice between G8 and G9 is free) |
|
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | yes (2008- ) | 1949 until 2001 |
Lower Saxony | abolished | 2011 until 2019 |
North Rhine-Westphalia | abolished final G8 graduating cohort in 2025 |
2012 until 2025 |
Rhineland-Palatinate | yes (2016- ) (only as a pilot project for full-time schools) |
|
Saarland | abolished final G8 graduating cohort in 2028 |
2009 until 2028 |
Saxony | yes (1949- ) | |
Saxony-Anhalt | yes (2007- ) | 1949 until 2000 |
Schleswig-Holstein | abolished final G8 graduating cohort in 2025 |
2016 until 2025 |
Thuringia | yes (1949- ) |
Criticism
In part, parent, teacher and student organizations express criticism, exclusively from the Western States of Germany. In spite of the removal of one school year, all the contents of the previously thirteen school years were in the curriculum. This means that the school timetable is enlarged and that the students have to be at school between 32 and 40 periods a week. Altogether with the homework given and exam preparations a school week is calculated to encompass an estimated 45 to 55 periods.
However, there is little empirical evidence on the effect of the compression of instructional periods into fewer years of schooling on student outcomes.
References
- Spiegel Online: Im Osten nichts Neues
- Huebener, M. & Marcus, J. (2015): Empirische Befunde zu Auswirkungen der G8-Schulzeitverkürzung, DIW Roundup No. 57, 02/2015. for an overview of the legislation in February 2015.
- BW: Landesregierung bringt Bildungsreform auf den Weg"
- WAZ: NRW-Regierung beschließt Ausstieg aus dem "Turbo-Abitur"
- SR: Elternvertretung begrüßt zügigen Umstieg auf G9 im Saarland"
- LN: Rückkehr zu G9: Gibt es 2026 kaum Studienanfänger an den Unis in SH?"
- Spiegel Online: Diebstahl der Kindheit
- Huebener, M. & Marcus, J. (2015): Empirische Befunde zu Auswirkungen der G8-Schulzeitverkürzung, DIW Roundup No. 57, 02/2015.
External links
- Huebener, M. & Marcus, J. (2015): Moving up a gear: The impact of compressing instructional time into fewer years of schooling, DIW Discussion Papers, No. 1450.
- www.g8-in-bayern.de — The Gymnasium in eight years in Bavaria