Minister Pushes for Funding to Implement Third Free Kindergarten Year, Sparking Budget Discussion
Advocating for Financial Allocation for a Third consecutive Year of Complimentary Kindergarten Education by the Minister - Government Official Advocates Financial Support for Continuation of Three-Year Program Offering Tuition-Free Education
In the upcoming state budget draft for 2026 and 2027, Thuringia's Minister of Education, Christian Tischner (CDU), is advocating for adequate funding to facilitate the introduction of a third free kindergarten year.
According to Tischner, such a social and family-oriented measure should not divert funds from critical investments in the quality of early childhood and school education. He emphasized that the expansion of kindergarten years should not lead to budget cuts in other areas of the department.
Costing around 30-35 million euros yearly
Currently, in Thuringia, only the penultimate and last kindergarten years are tuition-free. The left party has been driving the push for a third free kindergarten year.
In the creation of the state budget for 2025, the CDU, BSW, and SPD coalition partners reached an agreement with the Left parliamentary group to implement a third free kindergarten year in Thuringia by August 1, 2027. The funds required for this initiative must be included in the double budget for 2026/2027.
Thuringia's Minister President, Mario Voigt (CDU), stated that this double budget would be the first to be marked by the Brombeer coalition, as the recently adopted state budget for 2025 was still prepared by the previous red-red-green government.
Implications for the Education Budget:
- Budget Increase: Introducing a third free kindergarten year may necessitate an increase in the budget to cover operational costs, salaries, and infrastructure.
- Reallocation of Funds: Existing programs or services may see a reassessment and possible reallocation of funds to accommodate the increased costs of expanded kindergarten programs.
- Reduced Budgets: There could be potential cuts in other educational areas to balance the budget.
Implications for Quality:
- Quality of Teachers: Ensuring sufficient, well-trained educators may present challenges, potentially impacting the quality of care.
- Infrastructure: Facilities may need upgrades and additional funding to accommodate the increase in the number of children, enhancing the educational environment.
- Curriculum Development: With the expansion of the program, there could be improved curriculum development designed to better meet the early educational needs of children.
- Minister Tischner has proposed a policy-and-legislation initiative to include funding for a third free kindergarten year in the 2026 and 2027 state budget, aligning with the community policy of providing quality early childhood education.
- In the negotiations for the 2025 state budget, the CDU, BSW, and SPD coalition partners, along with the Left parliamentary group, agreed to implement vocational training for early childhood educators, addressing the need for the quality of teachers in kindergarten programs.
- Thuringia's upcoming budget discussions will involve the costs associated with the third free kindergarten year, which are projected to be around 30-35 million euros annually.
- The implementation of a third free kindergarten year by 2027 may lead to policy-and-legislation changes in the areas of general-news and politics, requiring the allocation of funds from other vocational training and education programs to maintain balanced budgets.
