students and students from socially weak families to keep more in the future Bafög. This provides for a draft law, the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday on the way. In addition to an increase in the flow rates should be also the circle of Bafög-recipients is larger. The Federal government wants to spend alone in this parliamentary term, more than 1.2 billion euros in addition, as Minister of education, Anja Karliczek (CDU) said after the Cabinet meeting. Overall, up to the year 2022 to 1.8 billion euros, are provided in addition.
prior to the Cabinet decision, there was criticism of the Bafög-Reform. That the Federal government planned increase of the Bafög is not sufficient rates, criticized about Kai Gehring, higher education spokesman for the Green parliamentary group in the Bundestag. “Even with the planned amendment of the loss of importance of the Bafög is not stopped,” said Gehring. Between 2014 and 2017, the number of Bafög decreased-Funded $ 180,000, on average, around of 557,000 students and 225,000 students of the month. With the Bafög-amendment this fall would by no means betting.
on the contrary, the Federal count, apparently, only about 35,000, in addition, Subsidised, criticized Gehring. He relied on a reply of the Federal Ministry of education (BMBF) on a request from the Greens in the Bundestag. Therein, the BMBF announced, although not a concrete number. However, the more effort, the BMBF computing in the processing of Bafög applications after the Reform decrees, to those of 35,000, in addition, Supported close, said Gehring. Also, the high school groups of the Jusos requested at the beginning of the week, “a lot more”, in order to create a reversal of the trend to the Bafög.
The Bafög maximum rate is 850 Euro
The Bafög-amendment, to increase the Bafög maximum rate from the next winter semester in two stages to 2020 from 730 to 850 euros. The basic requirements to rise by five percent and then two percent of the living allowance for students living with their parents, from 250 to 325 euros. Similarly, subsidies for health and nursing care insurance are on the rise.
for More core points of the Reform: The tax-free allowances for the income of the parents is to rise in three steps up to 2021 to 16 percent, so that more students received Bafög – the third stage was not initially provided and now is still. The exemption amount for the assets of the Bafög recipient is raised 2021 from 7500 to 8200 euros. Are planned Changes in the repayment of the Bafögs. The monthly Rate is expected to rise from 105 to 130 Euro. For the duration of the return is capped payment at twenty years – the repayment of the remaining debt will be those who adopt that are not able to pay back all the.
The last increase, there were 2016
The last Bafög increase, had it in 2016, and prior to that had done nothing for ten years. That in spite of the increase three years ago, fewer students received Bafög, explains the Federal government, with the simultaneous increase in income in Germany, because the economy did well developed. The new Reform was “offered particularly with a view to the families, which is now just over the income eligibility limits are,” says the BMBF in its response to Gehring. Minister of education, Karliczek had already stated in its position paper for the amendment, despite the economic upturn in living costs, especially for middle-class families on the rise, which make an expansion of the Bafögs necessary.
Gehring urged to increase funding rates and allowances for the next Semester to ten percent. After that, the student loans would have to rise “automatically and regularly”, which is a requirement, which is collected for a long time by the German student Union and also of the Jusos is affirmed.
900 Online applications within two years
The residential package is made of Gehrings point of view, “inadequate”, a regional differentiation according to the housing law would be fairer. Further “structural changes” need to be addressed, such as better promotion of students in part-time, nursing students or an orientation semester. Gehring also criticized that the Federal government appear to be in breach against the obligation to Report to the Bafög and the next Bafög report until 2021, instead of 2019.
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support for students More student loans for the middle class
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striking in the response of the Federal government on the Green-request to the low number of Online applications for the Bafög. Between August 2016 and April 2018, the Bafög Offices only 900 Online applications recorded, which corresponds to a share “in the parts per thousand range,” as Gehring criticized. The Federal government’s promise although changes had occurred with the countries in the talks. In the Bafög-amendment this pledge suggest, but not again.