Krefeld sets strong accents for educational equality in North Rhine-Westphalia!

Krefeld sets strong accents for educational equality in North Rhine-Westphalia!

Education policy in North Rhine-Westphalia has big plans: On August 30, 2025, the second round of the Start Chances program was presented, and it promises to make a real difference for students in Krefeld and beyond. The Krefeld state parliament members Britta Oellers and Marc Blondin emphasized how important this joint educational policy project is, which is supported by both the federal and state governments. In the coming school year 2025/2026, 17 schools in Krefeld will benefit from funding, which is part of an ambitious plan that aims to achieve more equal opportunities in education.

A total of 4.6 billion euros will flow into education over the ten-year program period. These funds are intended to help specifically support around 923 schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is over 500 more schools than in the previous year. One goal of this program is to make educational success independent of social background, because access to education should not depend on the parents' wallet.

A look at the supported schools

In Krefeld, the following schools benefit from a total of around 20 million euros: the Kurt-Tucholsky comprehensive school, the Regenbogen elementary school, the Krähenfeld elementary school, the Vulkanstrasse elementary school and many others. These schools receive support in several areas to offer their students the best possible learning conditions.

• Kurt-Tucholsky Gesamtschule
• Regenbogen Grundschule
• Krähenfeld Grundschule
• Grundschule Vulkanstraße
• Grundschule Felbelstraße
• Grundschule Westparkstraße
• Josefschule
• Mosaikschule
• Grundschule am Stadtpark Fischeln
• Mariannenschule
• Lindenschule
• Gebrüder-Grimm Grundschule
• Buchenschule
• Albert-Schweitzer-Realschule
• Hannah-Arendt-Gymnasium
• Berufskolleg Glockenspitz
• Gesamtschule Kaiserplatz

In a nutshell: The pillars of the program

What does the program look like exactly? It is based on three main pillars: Firstly, investments are made in learning environments so that schools become modern places of learning. Secondly, there are opportunity budgets that offer schools financial leeway for individual development measures. Thirdly, new positions for school social work and specialists will be created, around 900 in total - an important improvement for schools, which are under great pressure.

Especially in an education system that is often perceived as unfair, it is crucial that such initiatives are taken. Studies show that social background still has a decisive influence on educational success. The IQB country comparison, for example, shows that children from socially disadvantaged families have significantly worse educational opportunities. This is where the Start-Chances program aims to reduce these inequalities by implementing targeted measures to promote basic skills in the areas of reading, writing and arithmetic.

A path to equal opportunities

The increase in equal opportunities is not only the focus of the political agenda - society is also demanding it. A survey showed that 78% of Germans consider equal opportunities to be important. The ambitions of the Start-Chances program are part of a broad social movement that aims to combat one of the main causes of injustice: education.

Anyone who wants to improve educational opportunities must invest today in order to create fair competitive conditions for everyone tomorrow. Therefore, the announced 20 billion euros over a period of ten years can make a big difference in supporting a million students and no longer viewing social background as a decisive factor in education. Educational inequalities must not determine the fate of the next generation - an important signal is being sent here that will also radiate beyond Krefeld.

Overall, it shows that the Start-Chances program not only offers necessary financial support, but also represents a paradigm shift in the educational landscape. We can only hope that this program sets a precedent – ​​in the best possible way!