Education as an elementary civil and human right is the prerequisite for being able to exercise other fundamental rights, such as the free choice of training institution and occupation or the right to political participation, in a self-determined manner.

The state has a duty to guarantee free and unrestricted access to education in order to enable all women citizens to participate equally in social and professional life and to be educated as mature personalities.

The Federal Training Assistance Act, introduced in 1971 under pressure from the 1968 Movement, was to be regarded as a "legal entitlement" to "individual training assistance" (§1) without a repayment obligation. 44.6% of all students received BAföG funding one year later. However, these achievements were curtailed as early as 1982 when the CDU-FDP government took office and the grant became a loan.

Today, the 21st Social Survey of the Hamburg Student Union shows, among other things, that studying is still heavily dependent on the financial strength of the parents. The number of students receiving BAföG has fallen further: from 23% in 2009 to 18% in 2016, with a further downward trend.

The current reform of the Federal Training Assistance Act is going in the right direction, but falls far short of the real requirements!

In order to be able to finance their studies, 76% of Hamburg's students have a particularly large number of jobs, resulting in a weekly average of 42 hours for study and gainful employment. There is hardly any time left for social commitment, leisure time or other activities. Students with a low educational background, who at only 10% form the smallest group at Hamburg's universities, work even more frequently and on a larger scale and, compared to their fellow students, have even less time for self-study in particular.
Studying should be possible regardless of family income, but the dependency is enormous in Hamburg, with 84% of students receiving support from their parents.

We call for a far-reaching reform of BAföG with the following priorities:

- Parent-independent BAföG: The increase in the allowances in three stages until autumn 2021 is basically positive, but studying should be possible regardless of parental income. Free personality development, independent study design, time for social commitment are better without the pressure of parental expectations to complete their studies quickly.

- Significant increase in basic needs: The increase in basic needs rates by 5% in autumn 2019 and 2% in autumn 2020 is not sufficient to cover demand. A study presented on 8 January 2019 by the Research Institute for Educational and Social Economics shows that 500 to 550 euros would be needed to cover basic needs, which would correspond to an increase of 25% to 38%.

- Regular adjustment of funding: The two-year reporting cycle of §35 BAföG must be adhered to in order to record income and price increases and draw appropriate conclusions for the funding. However, the report due in 2019 is now to be postponed to 2021 for the third time within a decade. That is unacceptable!

- The increase in the flat-rate housing allowance is to be welcomed in principle, but 325 euros in housing allowances in large cities such as Hamburg do not cover the actual needs of students. The 21st Social Survey 2016 determines an average amount of 374 euros that students in Hamburg spend on housing costs. In addition, the rent increases in the meantime are not taken into account in the new flat rate. Like many other cities, Hamburg needs 100% social housing in order to provide affordable and decent housing for all people. In addition the student dormitories must be more strongly developed, reorganized and to more favorable rents made available!

- age-independent BAföG and part-time studies: We welcome the introduction of a BAföG surcharge for health and long-term care insurance for people over 30 years of age. However, we criticise the fact that the age limits in the new BAföG Act remain unaffected. We are currently in a process of individualisation, curricula vitae are now unrestricted and more and more people are also reorienting their careers in old age because, for example, professions they have learnt are no longer viable or they are looking for a new challenge. This must be taken into account in the law, as well as regulations on part-time study! Also, the change of study programme after the 3rd semester must not be an exclusion criterion for the receipt of BAföG.

 

- BAföG as a full grant: Many students (15%) do not apply for BAföG at all for fear of being in debt. In principle, we welcome the fact that the government has introduced improvements with regard to loan repayments. Due to the high relevance of education and science for social development, however, education support must be guaranteed without an obligation to repay!

- Independence from the standard period of study: According to the Federal Statistical Office, only 37% of students complete their studies within the standard period of study. The standard period of study is only an orientation and was conceived as a minimum period of study. It specifies the number of semesters in which a course of study can be completed at least and obliges the university to make this possible. It is merely a guideline for students. Against this orientation, the standard period of study serves as the maximum funding period for BAföG funding. We criticise the fact that this regulation puts students under pressure to adapt, so that developing focal points of interest cannot be pursued, "bulimia learning" is introduced or, in the event of failure to pass examinations or absences due to illness, fears of the future arise with regard to the financing of studies. This inhibits all of our potential for socially responsible science and research. We need to move away from the standard period of study that hampers development!

Free and unrestricted access to education, regardless of social origin, nationality or age, should be a matter of course and is not guaranteed despite the BAföG reform. Education and science should contribute to a peaceful, social, democratic and ecological development of society. Instead of pressure to adapt, parental expectations, wage pressure, credit point hunting and fears of the future, we need a comprehensive investment in education, significant improvements in the living and working conditions of students and teachers, and real support for democratic development and the education of responsible personalities!

We demand that the Federal Training Assistance Act be reformed once again, taking into account the focal points mentioned above and with the involvement of student representatives nationwide!