Kindergarten for free? Kindergarten for free?
Manuela Schwesig, minister for family affairs, wants to support cost-free daycare for children in kindergartens all over Germany. Thereby, families’ income would not be eaten by high fees.
The state of Lower Saxony could take a leading role in the process. Both SPD and CDU are planning to introduce nationwide feeless kindergartens until January 1st 2018. Most of the states have been thrilled about this idea from the start and want to participate – all but the state of Hesse according to the minister.
Up to this point the costs for a spot in a kindergarten vary massively and are dependent on residence, provider, children’s age, the kind of child care and supervision time. In Lower Saxony, the third and last year in kindergarten already is for free and in Rhineland-Palatinate parents only have to pay the first year whereas they do not have to pay fees in the following two years of kindergarten.
