Germany’s ambitious legal entitlement to all-day primary school care, set to launch next summer, is already facing a significant shortfall, jeopardizing its potential impact and highlighting regional disparities. A report from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, approved by the cabinet this week, reveals a deficit of 166,000 places needed to meet anticipated demand.
The inadequacy of provision is unevenly distributed across the nation. While eastern German states and Hamburg are projected to largely satisfy parental requests and may even see free places available, western states face considerable gaps. Baden-Württemberg must create an additional 32,000 all-day care places within the next nine months, while Bavaria is short 42,000, Hessen 15,000, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein each lacking 8,000. The most substantial shortfall exists in North Rhine-Westphalia, where calculations estimate a deficit of 47,000 places.
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) acknowledged the situation, pointing to a “significant increase in available places” as a positive development. However, she emphasized the necessity of collaborative action between the federal government, states and municipalities to intensify expansion efforts and develop appropriate, child-centered care facilities. Prien championed the potential of all-day care to enhance educational outcomes for children regardless of their background, alongside improving work-life balance, particularly for mothers.
The legal entitlement is being phased in, initiating with first-grade students from August 2026 and progressively extending to higher grades annually. Full implementation, encompassing all students in grades one to four, is scheduled for the 2029/2030 academic year. The phased approach, while intended to manage the transition, also raises questions about equitable access and the potential for increased strain on existing infrastructure in the interim, particularly within the heavily burdened western states. Critics argue that the current pace of expansion is insufficient to guarantee the promised benefit for families and are calling for a more aggressive strategy to address the widening gap.
