The Anzinger “Denk mit” daycare center is not yet listed in the navigation system, the building on Schulstrasse is so new. It’s a good thing that the modern wooden building with its lattice facade can be seen from afar. The crowd of people frolicking in front of the entrance on this Thursday morning also gives an indication of the location of the facility – after all, high-ranking visitors from Munich have announced themselves. Prime Minister Markus Söder and the Bavarian Minister for Family Affairs Ulrike Scharf (both CSU) want to get an idea of the newly opened day care center.
In terms of quality of life, Bavaria is simply better than other federal states
And the guests seem to like the wood hybrid building on the outskirts of Anzing, which was completed in April of this year. “It’s nice for you here,” says the prime minister to some of the children, who have rehearsed a little serenade to greet them. Of course, that’s not the only reason why Söder traveled to the Ebersberg district on Thursday. The Free State has made a financial contribution to the project, which costs a total of eleven million euros – and this is not an isolated case, as the Prime Minister emphasizes. “We build, build, build as much as we can,” says Söder. After all, Bavaria is a family country that is simply better off than others in terms of quality of life and jobs. In order to do justice to this, however, it needs the best possible care from childhood on.
The CSU boss is convinced that the Anzinger offspring will find these conditions in his new daycare center: “It looks sensational here.” Nevertheless, Söder admits that there is still a lot to do when it comes to childcare. The training for educators, for example, must become more attractive so that more young people choose this profession. How this can best succeed, he is not quite sure himself, says Söder. A further complication is that many Ukrainian children are currently being accommodated in the Bavarian facilities. “The conflict has now lasted much longer than many thought. That is an additional challenge,” says Söder.
More lateral entrants should also be inspired to become educators
Coping with this is also the task of Family Minister Ulrike Scharf. “The shortage of skilled workers is the issue that we are most concerned about,” she says in Anzing and promises to modernize the training. According to Scharf, more career changers should also be encouraged to take up the profession of educator. “We’re doing everything we can to further advance the qualification.”