Berlin. Employers have called on the federal government to consistently implement its announced plans for educational data. A position paper from the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA), which is available to Handelsblatt, states: "Germany can significantly improve the quality of the education system and its performance results if educational data is used systematically."
The aim must be to ensure the basic skills of all young people, to reduce the number of underperformers and to increase the number of high achievers.
In their coalition agreement, the Union and the SPD agreed to work with the states to agree on “relevant and measurable educational goals” and to create “data-supported school development and the educational history register”. It continued: “We support the introduction of a data protection-compliant student ID that is compatible between countries and enable the link to the citizen ID.”
A unique identification number (ID) for students should make it possible to record their educational history. Data collected at school would then show individual support needs. The information should also flow into an “education history register” as statistics in order to enable analyzes of the education system over longer periods of time.
But nothing has happened so far. When asked, Karin Prien's (CDU) Federal Ministry of Education said: "The federal government is happy to support the states on the issue of student ID." This could, for example, consist of offering exchange formats or through research funding.
However, it went on to say: “We are currently still discussing support options.” The federal government does not have the authority to introduce a student ID or determine specific purposes; this is the responsibility of the states in school law.
Employer President Rainer Dulger criticized this inaction. “When it comes to the future of our children, we can no longer poke around in the fog,” he told Handelsblatt. “We need to know where children are falling behind, what support actually helps and what happens to young people who leave school without a qualification.”
A student ID helps to understand educational paths, identify learning deficits early on and support young people more specifically. “The federal and state governments must act now,” demanded Dulger. “Especially after the poor PISA results, we cannot afford to lose sight of young people on their educational path.”
In the PISA 2025 study published in September, German students performed worse than ever before. Education Minister Prien called the findings “worrying” and reiterated that she wanted to further develop the education system based on data.
So far, the situation in the federal states has been very different. This is shown by an analysis by the Scientific Services of the German Bundestag in May. In Hamburg, for example, a central student register has existed since 2005. Hesse has set up a teacher and student database. Baden-Württemberg plans to introduce a nationwide student ID from 2027/2028. Pilot projects are currently underway.
But the systems are not compatible. And not all countries collect “individual data” at all. This is the basic requirement for creating an educational history register at all.
The employers' position paper states: "The ID should cover all phases of education - from early childhood education through school, training and university studies to further training." This is the only way to monitor developments in the various educational areas, to make qualifications, connections and changes transparent and to derive targeted educational policy measures for improvement. Up to now, educational biographies have not been visible.
Specifically, according to the BDA, the existing identification number that everyone receives immediately after birth and which serves as a tax ID should be used for the student ID.
This is also provided for in the coalition agreement, which refers to the “citizen ID”. This is what general administration calls the tax ID when it comes to a unique identifier for people.
However, student ID is controversial. On the one hand, a good data basis is required for educational policy, and on the other hand, concerns are expressed with regard to data protection. Critics of a register also warn that it would increase the pressure on students to perform.
Employer President Dulger said: “It’s not about collecting as much data as possible, but about drawing the right conclusions from it.” Of course, sensitive educational data must be protected. But data protection should not become a “ban on data use”.
“Good educational achievements are of central importance for the economy, because a lack of skills affects the ability to train and develop, productivity and innovative strength,” says the BDA paper.
However, the data should not be an “end in itself,” it continues. Students' learning levels would have to be assessed regularly and translated directly into targeted measures in or in addition to lessons. Teachers and school management must be able to quickly identify where there is a need for support and how to respond to it - without creating additional bureaucracy.
