29 percent of students in Germany have an immigration background - German schools see rising diversity among students but lagging teacher representation
The proportion of students and teachers with a migration background in German schools has shifted over the past five years. New figures show that nearly a third of pupils now come from families with immigrant roots. Meanwhile, the teaching workforce remains far less diverse.
In the latest data, 29% of students at general-education schools have a migration background. This marks a rise from 26% recorded five years earlier. The Federal Statistical Office classifies individuals as having a migration background if they or at least one parent immigrated to Germany since 1950.
Among teachers, the share with a migration background has also grown, but more slowly. It increased from 9% to 11% over the same period. The vast majority of educators—84%—still have no migration history at all. The gap between student and teacher demographics remains wide. While 59% of pupils have no migration background, the teaching staff is far less representative of this diversity.
The latest figures highlight a gradual increase in diversity among both students and teachers. However, the teaching workforce continues to be far less varied than the student population. Official reports from the Federal Statistical Office provide the basis for these comparisons.
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