The Bundestag has passed the Startchancen and Quality Development Act. As tagesschau.de reported on Thursday, 12 November, there is criticism because of planned cuts in federal funding.
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) said before the vote in the Bundestag that the law made possible “equal opportunities in our country” and opened up prospects for children. Until now, whether children can read, write and do arithmetic well has depended substantially in Germany on their parents’ income and level of education. “Educational opportunities in our country should not depend on which family or in which place a child is born,” Prien said, according to tagesschau.de.
The tests are to cover language development as well as social-emotional, motor and mathematical skills. Where there are deficits, targeted support is to be provided. Early years settings in difficult circumstances are to benefit in particular, for example institutions with many children from families at risk of poverty or from families in which no German is spoken – they could receive additional staff.
The opposition fundamentally views better support positively. The AfD, however, believes that staff shortages and the lack of early years places have not been solved. The Green MP Anja Reinalter asked: “Is this your answer to Pisa? Is this your answer to the education crisis? You want nationwide standards, but to pay less?” The Greens and the Left accuse the federal government of spending less money on early years settings in future. The Left MP Heidi Reichinnek spoke of “hypocrisy and social cutbacks”: instead of two billion euros a year, there would be only 1.5 billion in 2027 and only one billion from 2030.
Prien countered that the federal government was making exceptionally long-term financial commitments. If the Bundesrat also approves, the law will come into force at the beginning of next year; the central provisions will be introduced in stages.
