Early opportunities for nurseries: states accuse Berlin of insecure funding
The federal government plans 9.25 billion euros for nurseries in difficult areas until 2034. The Bundesrat criticises that permanent tasks are passed to the states without permanently secured money.
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On Friday the Bundesrat criticised the federal government's draft law on better early opportunities and nursery quality. In their opinion, the states complain that the federal government is handing them permanent tasks whose funding is not permanently secured. The federal government plans a total of 9.25 billion euros for 2027 to 2034, with annual shares set to decline. The states consider this unacceptable.
According to the Bundesrat, the plans include assessing the development of all children by the age of four at the latest, for example in language, motor skills and maths, additional staff for nurseries in challenging areas – at least ten per cent of facilities per state – and monitoring. The programme is to be evaluated after six years.
The opinion now goes to the federal government, after which the Bundestag will debate the draft. On the same day, the chamber also approved the higher tobacco tax, among other things, and relaxed the rule barring research institutions from paying top staff more than public-sector salaries.