Berlin's New Gymnasium Admission Rules Face Backlash After 97% Failure Rate in Trial Test

Only 2.6% of students passed Berlin's new gymnasium entrance test, igniting criticism over its impact on social equity and education policy.

Berlin replaced its previous gymnasium admission system with a stricter test requiring students without a 2.2 grade average to pass a one-day trial assessment.
Out of 1,937 students who participated, only 50 passed, resulting in a 2.6% success rate and barring most from attending gymnasiums.
Critics, including education unions and opposition parties, argue the new system exacerbates social inequality and disproportionately disadvantages children from less privileged backgrounds.
Supporters of the policy, including Berlin's CDU-led education administration, claim the results validate the rigor of the new system in ensuring students are appropriately placed.
Concerns have been raised about the capacity of secondary schools to accommodate the nearly 1,900 students now unable to attend gymnasiums under the revised rules.