FREE EDUCATION IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Abstract

         The Federal Republic of Germany views education as a welfare issue and believes that education should not be viewed as a commercial product. But education is a necessity and a fundamental right of all human beings. In particular, free higher education will promote economic progress and the well-being of the entire population. As a result, Germany does not collect tuition fees for primary education, which is compulsory education. The University Framework Act, which establishes educational rights and certifies under the law at the federal level, binds the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany (the Basic Law or Grundgesetz) and the University Framework Act. The state-level, also known as the Länder, is governed by the internal laws of each state, such as the Berlin state: The Constitution of Berlin, the School Act of Berlin (Schulgesetz) and the Higher Education Act of Berlin (Berliner Hochschulgesetz), the Bremen state, i.e. the Constitution of the Free Hanseatic State of Bremen (Landesverfassung der Freien Hansestadt Bremen), the Bremen School Act (Bremisches Schulgesetz) and the University of Bremen Act (Bremisches Hochschulgesetz). In addition, Germany has financial aid measures for students and graduates. It is a loan with a low interest rate or no interest rate at all. These include government-funded sources such as the BAföG Fund and non-governmental financing. The model and approach to education of the Federal Republic of Germany are interesting to apply in Thailand appropriately.