Two billion euros for Schleswig-Holstein's schools and daycare centers!

Two billion euros for Schleswig-Holstein's schools and daycare centers!

Something is happening in Schleswig-Holstein! A huge financial package worth two billion euros is intended to bring a breath of fresh air to schools, hospitals and municipalities over the next twelve years. This is an agreement between the state and the local municipal associations, which was the first federal state in Germany to come to this. Finance Minister Silke Schneider (Alliance 90/Greens) emphasizes how important it is to implement these funds quickly and unbureaucratically. 3.5 billion euros from the nationwide special infrastructure and climate neutrality fund will flow into the projects, of which almost two thirds will go directly to the municipalities, as NDR reports.

The plans not only include the renovation of facilities, but also a clear statement regarding the private use of schools, which is now to be restricted. Despite the agreement on taking rapid measures, there are different voices in the state parliament. For example, the SPD parliamentary group leader Serpil Midyatli is calling for the urgent use of machines and sticking to promises, while the FDP is critical that the money could possibly be used for budget holes.

All-day care in Schleswig-Holstein

From the 2026/27 school year, all primary school students from the first grade onwards have a legal right to full-day care. This represents a significant development of the education system and is also supported by the new financial package. The state government has agreed that it will cover 85 percent of the costs for all-day care, which also increases planning security for the municipalities. Education Minister Karin Prien underlines the importance of the full-day expansion, as it contributes to educational equality and strengthening basic skills, according to information from schleswig-holstein.de.

In accordance with the new funding guidelines, which have been in force since June 17th, applications for financing new buildings, renovations or equipment investments can be submitted from September 1st, 2024. The total program volume for the all-day expansion amounts to up to 196 million euros, of which 52.5 million are provided by the state of Schleswig-Holstein alone. This initiative is also perceived as a positive signal by the associations, which now have clearer perspectives for their planning.

On the way to educational equality

However, the initiative is not without its challenges. Martin Habersaat, spokesman for the SPD, points out that previous promises have often not been kept and sees great time pressure in building the necessary facilities. The shortage of teachers is also an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. The focus is clearly on providing high-quality care for all children and improving the general conditions in the daycare centers, where, for example, the refinancing of personnel costs is to increase from 95 to 97.5 percent.

All of this is happening against the backdrop of a changing labor market in which 70 percent of women in Schleswig-Holstein work part-time. Here, the need for flexible and reliable care options is more important than ever. It remains to be hoped that the funds now made available will not be used for other purposes and will actually enable the urgently needed expansion of offerings in schools and daycare centers, as critics such as the Junge Union fear.

In the end, Schleswig-Holstein could not only be a pioneer in the implementation of the all-day requirement, but also act as a model for other federal states. To ensure that the right decisions are made in the future, the involvement of all sponsoring associations in the conception of the full-day programs is very important.