The German Teachers’ Association has cautioned against proposed budget cuts that negatively affect children, insisting instead on increased investment in childcare facilities. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, President Stefan Düll noted that if government plans to save money through reductions in the parental allowance, and those funds were then redirected to boost Kita (daycare) funding, it would make logical sense as a way to benefit children. However, he stressed that cutting costs without a direct positive impact on children would be highly problematic.
Furthermore, he called for the implementation of early language promotion. To prevent children from falling behind in primary school, Düll argued that language support must begin as early as possible. This intervention should take place at the moment children enter daycare facilities, during which time an assessment should be made and necessary support measures put into effect.
Düll stated that parents must, of course, be encouraged to enroll their children in daycare before they begin kindergarten, particularly those who need the most support. Crucially, he added that making this possible requires hiring more staff for the Kitas, given the current shortage of specialists across the sector. His concluding point was that “children need other children-not permanent adults-and they find those interactions best in daycare and later in kindergarten”.
