Decline in School Enrollments Across Germany in 2024

In 2024, Germany has seen the first decline in school enrollments after several years, marking a 0.5% decrease. This decline is primarily attributed to the reduced influx of Ukrainian children, which has been a significant factor in previous enrollment statistics. The number of new school starters this year is 827,500, a noticeable drop from the previous year's record high.

The decline is particularly pronounced in Eastern Germany, with Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt experiencing the largest reductions. Conversely, slight increases in enrollments were noted in Bavaria, Niedersachsen, and Baden-Württemberg. While 93% of children were enrolled in primary schools, the number enrolled in special needs schools rose to 3.3%, with a significant majority being boys at 69%.

Moreover, the enrollment in Freie Waldorfschulen decreased by 0.4%, whereas schools offering three educational tracks observed stable numbers. The gender distribution among school starters was nearly balanced overall, with boys comprising 51% of the total. However, the predominance of boys in special needs schools highlights a notable gender disparity.

Additionally, the school statistics catalog underwent revisions for the 2024/25 school year, and a new user interface for the GENESIS-Online database was launched on November 5, 2024, as its main version. These updates aim to provide clearer insights into the changing dynamics of school enrollments across the country.