German students' maths skills plummet as failure rates hit 24% nationwide

Maths performance among German students has worsened significantly since 2012. A new report shows nearly a quarter of pupils now fail to meet basic standards. The trends vary sharply between states, with Bremen recording the highest failure rates. In 2018, 14.5 percent of ninth-graders nationwide struggled with minimum maths requirements. Berlin had the worst rate at 24.6 percent, while Bavaria recorded the lowest at 6.3 percent. By 2026, the failure rate had climbed to 23.6 percent for those seeking a lower-secondary diploma.

Bremen now leads with 34.1 percent of students failing maths, closely followed by Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia. Nearly 35 percent of Bremen’s ninth-graders cannot meet basic proficiency. Bavaria remains the best-performing state, with a failure rate of just 12 percent.

Josef Kraus, former head of the German Teachers’ Association, points to migration as a major factor. He also highlights declining academic expectations, such as the removal of long division from some curricula. Kraus argues that rising grade averages mask lowered standards, as artificial intelligence increasingly replaces mental arithmetic in daily life. The latest figures reveal a clear decline in maths proficiency across most German states. Experts attribute the trend to both social changes and educational policy shifts. Schools now face growing pressure to address these gaps before students leave compulsory education.