GEW on compulsory pre-school year: "Costs a lot of time and money"

The education trade union GEW believes that the requirements for the compulsory pre-school year planned in the coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD have not been met. "Some preparations and a better staffing ratio are necessary for this," said GEW state chairman Burkhard Naumann. "That costs a lot of time and money."

Much more controversial is the question of financing daycare centers with the municipalities. According to Naumann, the current shortage of money should be used to strengthen crèches, kindergartens and after-school care centers. "Only when this has been achieved could the pre-school year become compulsory."

In contrast, Naumann believes that the improvement in the childcare ratio provided for in the coalition agreement is an important signal for employees. The union also welcomes the fact that qualitative standards are to be set for childcare at daycare centers.

Costs of the project in the three-digit million range

CDU and SPD want to make the last year of daycare a compulsory, free pre-school year in order to make it easier for children to start school and to even out differences in performance levels. A side effect would be to ease the burden on local authorities, as the Free State would take over the cost structures, said CDU parliamentary group leader Christian Hartmann at the presentation of the coalition agreement. According to Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU), the costs are in the three-digit million range.

Criticism was also voiced by the Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband Sachsen. Its state director Michel Richter also called for an improvement in the staffing ratio and for the promotion of low-threshold, family-oriented services instead of coercion.