Education in East Germany

Education in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was a high priority for the communist government, and was compulsory for 10 years from age six onwards.

There were state run crèches, kindergartens, polytechnic schools, extended secondary schools, vocational training and universities.

As almost all East German parents (85%) worked outside of the home, there was a significant need for adequate childcare services. East German crèches [Kinderkrippe] were for children up to age three. Crèches often were next to the Kindergarten-building. There was even a time for young GDR women to serve or volunteer in crèches in order to bring their own children up well.

In many crèches, doctors and dentists were located to take care of the young kids. The same applied to the polytechnic schools.

As many of these crèches were built during the post-Second World War period, when many new buildings were constructed in East Germany, they were often incorporated into residential blocks so parents could pick their children up without having to travel long distances to and from home.

Many factories and collective farms also had their own crèches.

Overall, the crèches provided places for 80% of East German children to attend, in several urban regions the coverage rate was 99%. The fee was 27.50 East German marks per child per month for a full-day care. Most crèches were opened 6 am to 6 pm.

Unlike West Germany, East Germany accomplished a large-scale education reform and introduced a dense network of high-standard education facilities, especially kindergartens. A unique characteristic of East German kindergartens was the strong educational background of these institutions, even compared to today's kindergartens in Germany. Children from age three to six learned to interact with other children, got used to a stable daily routine and were introduced to the idea of learning. The children stayed together in the same group with the same group educator during the three years. The groups were called the little group (kleine Gruppe) for the young children of the age of three, the middle group (mittlere Gruppe) for the children of the age of four and the big group (große Gruppe) for the older children of the age of five.

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