Munich (dpa/lby) – To improve the expansion of the range of all-day places in primary schools, Bavaria relies on lucrative subsidies for the municipalities. “For every all-day place for primary school children that the municipalities create by 2029, the Free State guarantees financial support for the investment costs,” said Family Minister Ulrike Scharf (CSU) on Wednesday in Munich. Bavaria is passing on the federal funds of around 430 million euros “in full” to the municipalities for the creation of up to 115,000 new childcare places.
“We support the municipalities powerfully and reliably beyond the services of the municipal financial equalization system,” said Scharf. The cabinet’s decision on Tuesday’s “All-Day Development State Support Program” is “the most important news of the decade” for families and communities. The all-day promise given in the summer of 2022 will become the brand essence of Bavarian family policy. The state support program relates to the creation of all-day offers for primary school children aged six to ten.
In addition to the existing subsidies from the municipal financial equalization system, Bavaria grants an additional investment cost subsidy as a flat rate per place: 6,000 euros in offers for child and youth welfare, 3,900 euros in a combined facility (cooperative all-day) and 3,000 euros in offers under school supervision (open and tied all-day ; extended lunchtime care).
In order to accelerate the sluggish expansion of all-day offers, the Free State has been issuing so-called clearance certificates since August 2022. Since then, the municipalities can begin to expand the additional places. In order for the funding program to really start, the federal government must first conclude an administrative agreement with all the federal states. “The federal government is delaying the conclusion unnecessarily,” said Scharf. The all-day expansion serves the families in Bavaria – they need reliable childcare.
The legal entitlement to all-day support for primary school children has been anchored in the All-Day Support Act since 2021. It comprises 40 hours per week including lessons and is valid for children from the 1st to the 4th grade. It is to be introduced in stages: from the 2026/2027 school year it will apply to pupils in the 1st grade and from 2029/2030 to all primary school classes. In view of the lack of staff and tight funds, the claim cannot be implemented in the opinion of the municipalities in Bavaria.
