BSW wants mandatory language tests for children from the age of 3

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in Saxony is proposing mandatory language tests for children from the age of three in order to be able to react to deficits as early as possible. It is a matter of strategically planning early childhood education, BSW leader Sabine Zimmermann told the German Press Agency in Dresden and accused the state government of failing to do so. Saxony still has the second worst childcare ratio in childcare centers in Germany. "We must seize the opportunity that currently arises from the falling enrolment figures in daycare centers."

A knee-jerk decision to cut jobs or even close facilities would be short-sighted. "Instead, we can now plan with a view to the future and indirectly improve the childcare ratio with falling enrolment figures and at least the same number of positions." A childcare ratio of 1:7 would be required for daycare centers, and 1:3 for crèches, so that educational professionals can actually focus on early childhood education and children can develop according to their potential. In addition, the working conditions of employees would improve considerably, said Zimmermann. This should be a medium-term goal and is also becoming increasingly important in view of the growing proportion of children with foreign roots.

Currently, the staffing ratio for working with children in Saxony is 1 to 5 (crèche) and 1 to 12 (kindergarten). Minister of Education Christian Piwarz (CDU) had already spoken out in favor of keeping staff in the facilities that become available due to falling birth rates. "If we want to further strengthen the quality of education in kindergartens and after-school care, we should stick to the staffing levels in daycare facilities and use the decline in child numbers as a demographic return. This will directly benefit our children, as it will enable more individualized support."