German School Implements €5 Fine for Late Students

In an effort to tackle persistent lateness among students, Dürer High School in Nuremberg, Germany, has introduced a €5 fine for students who repeatedly arrive late without a valid excuse. The measure aims to enforce punctuality and adherence to school attendance policies.

After several months of implementing this initiative, Principal Rainer Giesdorfer reported positive results. The school's student council has also noted a significant reduction in the number of students arriving late to class since the fine was introduced.

“This measure wasn’t implemented as a punishment,” explained Giesdorfer. “We have a significant number of students who, regardless of the reasons, fail to arrive on time. While warnings or threats of expulsion may not concern them, paying a €5 fine truly gets their attention.”

The fine is considered a last resort after all other efforts—such as discussions with parents, teachers, school psychologists, and social workers—fail to address the issue. So far, the penalty has been applied in only a few cases and is limited to students aged 9 to 11, according to Giesdorfer. He also noted that the fine has successfully raised awareness about the importance of punctuality.

The school estimates that around 5–10% of students show such little interest in their education that their behavior jeopardizes their chances of graduating.

A spokesperson for the state’s Ministry of Education stated that it is up to individual schools to manage these infractions. In exceptional cases, local administrative authorities can impose fines at the request of schools or their supervisory bodies.

Statistics from the past year show that schools in the region reported approximately 1,500 cases of student absenteeism or tardiness, an increase from 1,250 cases the previous year. Pre-pandemic levels in 2019 recorded around 800 cases.

Stefan Dull, President of the German Teachers' Union, attributes some of this trend to the prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led some students to lose interest in their education. Meanwhile, the Bavarian School Principals' Association highlights a rise in mental health issues among young people since the pandemic, contributing to school anxiety and absenteeism.

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