Bildungsinvestitionen - Wirksames Heilmittel gegen soziale Ungleich heit?

Abstract

Despite the educational expansion since the 1960s and the rise of the average education level, there has been no significant decrease in education inequality or in its persistence across generations during the past decades in Germany. This depressing realisation is not held by all authors; some others identify positive developments in education. The explanation for underinvestment in people is that these investments generate only long-run returns. In order to reduce social inequalities, further investments in education are necessary. These investments should be target oriented and focus on reducing inequalities in the use of early education and care institutions, as well as on increasing the quality of these institutions. Individuals with lower education levels should be especially targeted to participate in further training, because higher formal qualifications will both insulate them from labour market risks and generate a more favourable social environment for their children. Furthermore, there should be more investments into education at the regional level. Large imbalances in regional participation in further education and training highlight the lack of local universities to act as a local push factor. Fast internet access in rural areas and “freeing” time resources through sabbaticals could improve participation in lifelong learning.