“Conditions in German daycare centers are untenable” – Left demands 200,000 new educators

More children than ever are attending day care. However, many cannot be cared for. Left Party executive director Schubert wants to help municipalities.

Berlin – German daycare centers are fuller than ever. More Children than ever before attended a care facility in 2023. But that is not really good news. Because: The institutions are lacking educators everywhere for the children. The Left is therefore now calling for 200,000 new jobs and more help on site.

Record numbers of children in care

As of March 1, 2023, almost 860,000 children under three and almost 2.7 million over three were in day care, according to figures from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. A new record. For Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens), this is initially something positive: “This is good news and shows that awareness is growing in our country of how important early childhood education is. More and more Parents want good childcare options for the very youngest children,” said the minister. But she also said that demand continues to exceed supply.

This is due, among other things, to too few staff. For the Left, this is unacceptable. “It is a scandal that our daycare centers are bursting at the seams and the traffic light government is standing by and doing nothing. There are more than 400,000 places missing for the youngest children and the federal government is leaving educators, parents and children to deal with the chaos alone,” said federal executive director Katina Schubert in view of the daycare crisis to IPPEN.MEDIA.

There is a shortage of educators

According to Schubert, the generation of tomorrow deserves better education and care: “The federal government is not getting the personnel problem under control and is filling the gaps with inadequately trained assistants. The conditions in German daycare centers are untenable.”

The federal government is already doing something with the Daycare Quality Act. Minister Paus announced that she would make a further four billion euros available for daycare centers over the next two years. “We are placing a clear focus on recruiting and securing skilled workers,” said Paus.

Child welfare is at risk due to lack of educators

But for the Left, that is not enough. “We need 200,000 additional kindergarten teachers immediately – and that can only happen if we finally upgrade the profession, pay better and improve working conditions,” says Berlin Left MP and managing director Schubert. Schubert and the Left want to finance these positions by reintroducing the wealth tax. “The richest people in this country must finally do their fair share. With more than 60 billion euros a year, we could not only get the daycare centers up to scratch, but also ensure that e
very child gets the place they need – free of charge.”

The Left Party is particularly focused on local authorities, which bear a great burden when it comes to daycare. According to Schubert, these must be enabled to “fulfill their duty to provide care and be adequately financed.”

In an open letter, 300 scientists recently pointed to the daycare crisis and made it clear that the lack of educators is endangering the well-being of children. For the Left, this is all the more reason to act. “Municipalities are the backbone of early childhood education – and they need reliable, adequate funding to meet the challenges. This is the only way we can ensure that no child is left behind.”