Master craftsman Bafög more attractive

Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka (CDU - Christian Democratic Union) wants to create incentives for young craftsmen.

She has announced a corresponding draft bill for this summer. "For example, those achieving a successful graduation result should have to pay back less", says the minister.

The master craftsman Bafög support loan is intended for people attending vocational advanced further training programmes. The recipients receive support in the form of loans or grants in aid towards covering the cost of their advanced further training or their livelihood.

In addition, the minister said that the master craftsman Bafög should become even more family-friendly and reflect individual performance to a greater degree. The plan is to increase the Bafög rates and allowances by seven per cent, just as for students; this would increase the maintenance provision from 697 to 760 euros per month.

Wanka said her goal for this legislative period is to strengthen vocational education and to make it plain that there are attractive alternatives to higher education entrance qualification and university courses available. "In some university courses, almost half of beginning students give up; this need not be the case", she emphasised. The higher education entrance qualification, she said, is a "desirable graduation".

But getting as many pupils as possible to complete this graduation cannot be the goal. The grammar schools must maintain their standards, she said.