Status: 09.11.2022 4:30 p.m
Since 2016, the federal government has been promoting the language development of children through special language day-care centers. The federal states should take over this at the beginning of 2023. Now they have six more months to do this. The federal government is extending the aid until then.
The federal government wants to continue funding the so-called language day-care centers until next summer, contrary to what was initially planned. This was confirmed by Federal Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens). The funding program was originally scheduled to expire at the end of the year. There was criticism for this, especially from the federal states, which should then continue to finance the program.
However, the extension is only a temporary solution. It should give the federal states another six months to “seamlessly transfer language education from temporary project funding to permanent funding,” said Paus.
“I appeal to the countries that have not yet decided to establish language support in the day-care centers on a permanent basis to also use this bridge.” Several federal states have already decided to do so.
Affects around half a million children
The federal government is financing the extension by shifting funds from the Kita Quality Act, as a spokeswoman for the ministry said. 109 million euros are to be made available in this way. The law should not only oblige the countries to certain standards in daycare centers such as group sizes. Language support is also to be handed over to the federal states in the future.
Since 2016, the federal government has been supporting kindergarten children through the language day-care centers. Children in particular who do not speak German well should be trained in this by special specialists. According to the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, the model program reached around half a million children and created around 7,500 new part-time jobs. There are around 6,600 language day-care centers in Germany.