Disagreement from Lower Saxony over an excess of top grades issued - Aid decision by the German government is still pending.
Lower Saxony Denies Trend of Inflated Abitur Grades
There is a ongoing debate about the trend of inflated Abitur grades in Germany, but authorities in Lower Saxony have stated that there is no clear trend toward excessively good grades or grade inflation in the state.
Criticism from the German Teachers' Union and CDU politicians, both nationally and regionally, has been raised that an increasing number of top grades could lead to a devaluation of the Abitur, potentially undermining its credibility and disadvantaging hardworking students by masking knowledge gaps. However, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture has denied these concerns, stating that there is no significant upward trend in top grades.
The ministry attributes the figures to consistently improved school support and sees it as a sign of targeted support and more equality of opportunity in the education system. The ministry's stance on not giving out good grades easily continues to hold.
Critics argue that pressure on teachers and schools to award higher grades, possibly due to societal or political expectations, could contribute to inflation. However, the ministry attributes any changes in grade distribution to improved school support rather than grade inflation.
The diversity of student populations, including challenges such as large proportions of students with non-German linguistic backgrounds, may influence grading dynamics, but this is more related to integration and support issues rather than grade inflation per se.
Possible effects of perceived grade inflation include a potential devaluation of the Abitur diploma, reducing its weight as a reliable indicator of academic achievement. Additionally, there are concerns about whether university admissions and employers can effectively differentiate candidates based on grades alone.
In conclusion, while there is criticism and concern about inflated Abitur grades in Germany generally, Lower Saxony's education ministry reports no significant upward trend in top grades. The debate reflects wider tensions about educational standards, demographic changes, and grading fairness rather than clear evidence of systemic inflation in that region.
The ministry does not consider these figures to indicate a devaluation of the Abitur. The proportion of Abitur students with excellent grades (1.5 or better) has slightly decreased from the previous year, according to the ministry. In 2025, only 2.00 percent of Abitur examinees achieved the top grade of 1.0, down from 2022 (2.31 percent) and significantly lower than before the pandemic in 2019 (1.15 percent).
The ministry's emphasis on high standards for exams and evaluation remains consistent. Stefan Düll, the leader of the German Teachers' Union, criticized an alleged "flood of top grades," but the ministry's commitment to the Abitur as a demanding examination remains consistent. The number of Abitur exams not passed has increased slightly in recent years, according to the ministry.
Vocational training in EC countries has been a topic of discussion in the context of education-and-self-development and politics, but this debate deviates from the ongoing controversy regarding the trend of inflated Abitur grades in Germany.
Despite criticism from the German Teachers' Union and political figures, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Culture maintains that there's no significant upward trend in top Abitur grades, attributing any changes in grade distribution to improved school support rather than grade inflation.
