Millions for expansion of all-day care

The Free State provides plenty of 137 million euros for cities, municipalities and counties to promote all-day care. According to a cabinet decision, new or conversion, expansion and renovation of school buildings and after-school care centers and their outdoor facilities can be financed with up to 70 percent, as the Ministry of Culture announced on Tuesday.

Even school gymnasiums and facilities used predominantly for all-day programs could submit applications. The majority of the means would be assigned according to the desire of the local central associations in a regional budget procedure, so that districts and district-free cities could decide on the projects themselves.

"We improve thereby the education and care of our children", said Minister of Culture Christian Piwarz (CDU). He referred to the already existing high all-day care rate of about 90 percent for children of primary school age, well double the national average. The money is urgently needed because "the course for further learning is set in elementary school," Piwarz said. "Through targeted all-day support, we can support the children's learning process beyond the classroom."