Prien wants to invest in daycare centers and all-day care

The new Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Karin Prien, has announced federal investment in the expansion of nurseries and all-day care at schools. It will be about strengthening early childhood education more than before, said the CDU politician at the opening of the German Child and Youth Welfare Day in Leipzig.

"This not only means that we will continue to invest massively in the expansion, renovation and new construction of daycare centers, that we will support the federal states in this and support the municipalities in this," said Prien. The federal government is also aiming to improve the quality of daycare centers.

Language skills "absolutely crucial"

Language support should also be improved. Germany is now a country of immigration. "In an immigration society, the acquisition of language skills is absolutely crucial. It is the key competence, and anyone who does not master the language when they start school or at least in the first few years afterwards will hardly have a chance of pursuing a successful educational path."

All-day entitlement as a huge challenge

In their coalition agreement, the CDU/CSU and SPD have also agreed to push ahead with the expansion of all-day schooling. The legal entitlement to all-day care is just around the corner, said Prien. "This is a huge challenge for many local authorities, but we will have to manage it together. We owe it to our children and young people, because this is another key to greater educational equality."

Around 400 organizations, associations, clubs and institutions are presenting themselves at the German Child and Youth Welfare Day until Thursday. It is considered the largest youth welfare congress in Europe.