A significant majority of economics teachers in Germany believe that entrepreneurial knowledge and business acumen are inadequately addressed within the national curriculum, according to a new study commissioned by the Foundation for Family Businesses. The research, published by Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, highlights a growing consensus among educators regarding the need to foster a more entrepreneurial mindset in students.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Institute for Economic Education at the University of Oldenburg, surveyed 577 economics teachers. Findings reveal that nearly 85% consider knowledge of businesses and entrepreneurship an essential component of general education. A considerable 45% specifically advocate for the mandatory inclusion of entrepreneurial skill development within the curriculum. While 72% claim familiarity with the topic of entrepreneurship, indicating at least introductory experience, only approximately 50% have imparted practical knowledge regarding company creation to their students. Furthermore, just 41% of teachers have firsthand experience with student-run businesses, where young people develop products and offer services.
Rainer Kirchdörfer, a board member of the Foundation for Family Businesses, voiced concern that Germany’s notoriously low rate of new business creation is directly linked to the lack of entrepreneurial education in schools. “Germany suffers from a deficit in startups and this isn’t surprising when young people receive so little business knowledge in schools and are not encouraged toward self-employment” he stated to Funke-Zeitungen. He urged policymakers and institutions to prioritize the integration of economic knowledge and entrepreneurial thinking into the maturation process for young Germans.
While acknowledging that elements of economic understanding are currently integrated across various subjects like social studies, politics and mathematics, Stefan Düll, president of the German Teachers’ Association, cautioned against overburdening the educational system. He emphasized the school’s role in providing a broad foundation of general knowledge rather than narrowly focused, interest-driven instruction. Düll further stressed the responsibility of parents and businesses in supplementing formal education with practical lessons on economic principles, subtly implying that the push for increased entrepreneurial focus risks compromising the core mission of the school. The debate underscores a growing tension between fostering innovation and maintaining a broadly applicable educational framework.
