The German Students’ Services (DSW) is calling for an end to the ongoing dispute over the Bafög reform between the Union and the SPD. Matthias Anbuhl, the DSW chairman, told the “Rheinische Post” that the erratic course taken by the federal government regarding Bafög sends a devastating message to students and the youth generation as a whole.
Anbuhl further stressed that the shortage of skilled labor will only intensify in the coming years, given that the baby boomer generation is retiring in phases. He argued that the federal government’s policies on innovation and the high-tech agenda cannot be implemented without highly qualified professionals. According to him, “The Minister and the Union faction are sawing off the branch they are sitting on.”
Currently, deep frustration is prevalent among students. Their budgets are often critically low, and Anbuhl warned that this delicate situation is now at risk of collapsing. He stated that students require a reliable commitment from the federal government ensuring that the promised Bafög reform includes higher rates and significant simplification. Anything less than an increase in Bafög, he concluded, is shortsighted.
