Focus School Munich: Parental hurdles put a lot of strain on students

Focus School Munich: Parental hurdles put a lot of strain on students

The Guldschein School in Munich's Westend is struggling with special challenges that are typical for many hotspot schools. Rector Heike Stark heads the facility, which currently has 245 students. It is striking that around two thirds of the children have a migrant background. These numbers are not just statistics, they reflect the reality in which schools are characterized by underlying social problems. [Focus reports](https://www.focus.de/panorama/welt/brennpunktschule-in-muenchen-warum-eltern-die-groesste-chaus Challenge-sind_54301a47-3af5-431d-9d06-9c56ed765af5.html) that Stark sees the parents as the biggest challenge, who are not the children themselves.

In assessing the parents, Stark describes some of them as “functionally illiterate in Germany,” which makes communication in everyday school life difficult. Many come from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds and often have difficulty understanding the requirements of the German school system. In addition, parents are often overwhelmed with school letters that they have to have translated using software. Although interpreters are available, the trust and frustration in dealing with teachers does not make the situation any easier.

Personnel shortages as an obstacle

Bpb points out the personnel shortages at the Guldscheinschule. 28 teachers teach at the school, supported by 14 learning guides and a few volunteers. But the overtime of teachers is increasing due to the lack of staff, which makes daily work significantly more difficult. Another deficit is the lack of support from specialists such as speech therapists, who are just as important for the children's linguistic development as assistants who could support the teachers.

The problem of hotspot schools is not just a Munich phenomenon, but also affects many other regions. In this context, Bahar Aslan speaks of social challenges that are often not the focus of the education policy debate. She calls for an appropriate social education policy that supports families and improves educational opportunities for disadvantaged children. The fact that schools are equally equipped should be a basic requirement in order to create equal opportunities in the education sector.

Educational inequality more broadly

The educational disadvantage of children with a migrant background is not a new issue. According to Wissensatlas, these children have lower chances of a successful education. They attend daycare centers less often, and if their parents have the same educational background, there are clear differences in their school performance compared to their peers without a migration background. These inequalities mean that many young people from disadvantaged families often end up in secondary schools and have fewer chances of obtaining higher education or vocational training.

The Guldschein School is not just a place for learning, but a reflection of social problems that extend far beyond the walls of the school. Solid support for families and strengthening staff could pave the way to improving educational opportunities. But as long as the problems in the education system are not addressed, the success of children from disadvantaged schools will continue to be a major challenge.